He did, accordingly, go into the manor-house, and was shown into the room where Mrs. Effingham was, while Lucy, seized with a sudden fit of timidity, even towards her own mother, took refuge in her chamber. Mrs. Effingham was not a little surprised to see Charles Tyrrell, whom she imagined far on his way to Oxford; but he scarcely gave her time to express that surprise, telling her, first, the cause of his father's not coming, and then entering rapidly upon all that had occurred between him and Lucy, and upon the subject of their mutual love for each other. He told her how he had been tempted to ask Lucy not to mention the matter for some days. He assured her of his perfect certainty that Sir Francis Tyrrell, if suffered to pursue his own course, would propose a marriage between them very soon. But he assured her also, that if his father were made acquainted with the fact of his having himself proposed to Lucy, even in a moment of such excitement as that in which he did first tell her of his affection, Sir Francis would throw obstacles in the way which might bring misery, distress, and disappointment upon them. He spoke rapidly and eagerly, refusing to sit down, and leaning on the table before Mrs. Effingham; while she, on her part, was agitated by various different feelings at the different parts of his hurried details. Anger, indignation, and apprehension were the first feelings she experienced on hearing of the appearance of Arthur Hargrave. A slight degree of surprise appeared upon her fine countenance when she heard how willingly Lucy had received the addresses of Charles Tyrrell. "I have been deceived in this matter myself, my dear young gentleman," she said; "Lucy is perfectly incapable of falsehood or concealment of any kind; and though I informed Lady Tyrrell, and gave her leave to inform you of what I suspected to be the case in this matter, yet I told her that I had never asked Lucy herself, because I thought it unfair to press her upon the matter when her father and myself were quite decided in our determination. I took my impression, too, of Lucy's feelings from the positive assurance of a person whose opinion I ought to have doubted, and who, doubtless, received hers from the sister of this young man." As Charles went on, however, to tell all that had occurred, a slight smile, in which pleasure had its share, hung upon Mrs. Effingham's lip at finding how entirely her daughter and Charles Tyrrell relied upon her consent being given to their union. They never, indeed, entertained a doubt upon the subject, and the confidence of affection was well calculated to give the mother pleasure.