If there was one thing that vexed Mrs. Arkell worse than the fact itself, it was the open way in which her son steadily resisted the hints to him on the subject of Miss Fauntleroy. She felt at times that she could have beaten him; she was feeling so now. Her temper turned acrid, her face flushed, her voice rose. "Travice, if you persist in this systematic rudeness----" "Pardon me, mother. I wish you would refrain from bringing up the subject of Miss Fauntleroy to me. I do not care to hear of her in any way; she----Who's that? Why, I do believe it's Lucy's voice!" The colloquy with Mrs. Arkell had taken place in the hall. Travice made one bound to the drawing-room. The sudden flush on the pale face, the glad eagerness of the tone, struck dismay to the heart of Mrs. Arkell. She quickly followed him, and saw that he had taken both of Lucy's hands in greeting. "Oh, Lucy! are you here this morning? I know you have come to stay the day! Take your things off." Lucy laughed--and Mrs. Arkell had the pleasure of seeing that _her_ cheeks wore an answering flush. She shook her head and drew her hands from Travice, who seemed as if he could have kept them for ever. "Do I spend a day here so often that you think I can come for nothing else? I only came with papa, and I am going back with him soon." But Travice pressed the point of staying. Charlotte also--feeling, perhaps, that even Lucy was a welcome break to the monotony the house had fallen into--urged it. Mrs. Arkell maintained a marked silence; and in the midst of it the two gentlemen came in. Mr. Arkell kissed Lucy, and said she had better stop. But Peter settled it the other way. Lucy must go home with him then, he said; but if she liked to come down in the afternoon, and stay for the rest of the day, she could. It was so settled, and they took their departure. Mr. Arkell walked with Peter across the court-yard, talking. Travice, in the very face and eyes of his mother, gave his arm to Lucy. "Why did you not stay?" he whispered, as they arrived at the gates. "Lucy, do you know that to part with you is to part with my life's sunshine?" Mrs. Arkell was standing at the door as he turned, and beckoned to him from the distance. "I wish to speak with you," she said, as he approached. She led the way into the dining-room, and closed the door on them, as if for some formidable interview. Travice saw that she was in a scarcely irrepressible state of anger, and he perched himself on a vacant side-table--rather a favourite way of his. He began humming a tune; gaily, but not disrespectfully. "What possesses you to behave in this absurd manner to Lucy Arkell?" she began, in passion. "What have I done now?" asked Travice. "You are continually, in some way or other, contriving to thrust that girl's company upon us! I will not permit it, Travice; I have borne with it too long. I----" "Why, she is not here twice in a twelvemonth," interrupted Travice.