t, Lady Lufton."

"Exactly, my dear; that is just it. Put her on her guard--that is all
that is necessary. She is a dear, good, clever girl, and it would be
very sad if anything were to interrupt our comfortable way of getting
on with her." Mrs. Robarts knew to a nicety the exact meaning of this
threat. If Lucy would persist in securing to herself so much of Lord
Lufton's time and attention, her visits to Framley Court must become
less frequent. Lady Lufton would do much, very much, indeed, for her
friends at the parsonage; but not even for them could she permit her
son's prospects in life to be endangered. There was nothing more
said between them, and Mrs. Robarts got up to take her leave, having
promised to speak to Lucy.

"You manage everything so perfectly," said Lady Lufton, as she
pressed Mrs. Robarts's hand, "that I am quite at ease now that I find
you will agree with me." Mrs. Robarts did not exactly agree with her
ladyship, but she hardly thought it worth her while to say so. Mrs.
Robarts immediately started off on her walk to her own home, and when
she had got out of the grounds into the road, where it makes a turn
towards the parsonage, nearly opposite to Podgens' shop, she saw Lord
Lufton on horseback, and Lucy standing beside him. It was already
nearly five o'clock, and it was getting dusk; but as she approached,
or rather as she came suddenly within sight of them, she could see
that they were in close conversation. Lord Lufton's face was towards
her, and his horse was standing still; he was leaning over towards
his companion, and the whip, which he held in his right hand, hung
almost over her arm and down her back, as though his hand had touched
and perhaps rested on her shoulder. She was standing by his side,
looking up into his face, with one gloved hand resting on the horse's
neck. Mrs. Robarts, as she saw them, could not but own that there
might be cause for Lady Lufton's fears. But then Lucy's manner, as
Mrs. Robarts approached, was calculated to dissipate any such fears,
and to prove that there was no ground for them. She did not move from
her position, or allow her hand to drop, or show that she was in any
way either confused or conscious. She stood her ground, and when her
sister-in-law came up was smiling and at her ease. "Lord Lufton wants
me to learn to ride," said she.

"To learn to ride!" said Fanny, not knowing what answer to make to
such a proposition.

"Yes," said he. "This horse would