ucy said,
laughing, "Can't you fancy me sitting on that great big horse? I
wonder what Lady Lufton would say if she saw me there, and his
lordship giving me my first lesson?"

"I don't think she would like it," said Fanny.

"I'm sure she would not. But I will not try her temper in that
respect. Sometimes I fancy that she does not even like seeing Lord
Lufton talking to me."

"She does not like it, Lucy, when she sees him flirting with you."
This Mrs. Robarts said rather gravely, whereas Lucy had been speaking
in a half-bantering tone. As soon as even the word flirting was out
of Fanny's mouth, she was conscious that she had been guilty of an
injustice in using it. She had wished to say something which would
convey to her sister-in-law an idea of what Lady Lufton would
dislike; but in doing so, she had unintentionally brought against her
an accusation.

"Flirting, Fanny!" said Lucy, standing still in the path, and looking
up into her companion's face with all her eyes. "Do you mean to say
that I have been flirting with Lord Lufton?"

"I did not say that."

"Or that I have allowed him to flirt with me?"

"I did not mean to shock you, Lucy."

"What did you mean, Fanny?"

"Why, just this: that Lady Lufton would not be pleased if he paid you
marked attentions, and if you received them; just like that affair of
the riding; it was better to decline it."

"Of course I declined it; of course I never dreamt of accepting such
an offer. Go riding about the country on his horses! What have I
done, Fanny, that you should suppose such a thing?"

"You have done nothing, dearest."

"Then why did you speak as you did just now?"

"Because I wished to put you on your guard. You know, Lucy, that I do
not intend to find fault with you; but you may be sure, as a rule,
that intimate friendships between young gentlemen and young ladies
are dangerous things." They then walked up to the hall-door in
silence. When they had reached it, Lucy stood in the doorway instead
of entering it, and said, "Fanny, let us take another turn together,
if you are not tired."

"No, I'm not tired."

"It will be better that I should understand you at once,"--and then
they again moved away from the house. "Tell me truly now, do you
think that Lord Lufton and I have been flirting?"

"I do think that he is a little inclined to flirt with you."

"And Lady Lufton has been asking you to lecture me about it?" Poor
Mrs. Robarts hardly knew what to say