The thrill of maternal indignation made the old brown silk dress once more give forth a slight electric kind of rustle as this one word was spoken, and Mrs Alleyne's eyes seemed to lance her child. "A guilty conscience, Lucy, needs no accuser," said Mrs Alleyne, in a bitterly contemptuous tone. "You know perfectly well what I mean." Lucy glanced half-timidly, half-wonderingly at her mother, but remained silent. "I will not refuse you my permission to go your daily walks in future, but I must ask you to give me your word that such proceedings as have been reported to me of late shall be at an end." Lucy opened her lips to speak, but Mrs Alleyne held up her hand. "If you are going to say that you do not know what I mean, pray hesitate. I refer to your meetings with Captain Rolph." Lucy's shame and dismay had been swept away by a feeling of resentment now, and, giving her little foot a pettish stamp, she exclaimed,-- "The country side is free to Captain Rolph as well as to me, mamma. I know him from meeting him at the hall. I cannot help it if he speaks to me when I am out." "But you can help making appointments with him," retorted Mrs Alleyne. "I never did, mamma. I declare I never did," cried Lucy with spirit. "But you go in places where he is likely to be seen; and even if he were an eligible suitor for your hand, is this the way a child of mine should behave? Giving open countenance to the wretched tittle-tattle of this out-of-the-way place." "And pray, who has been talking about me?" cried Lucy angrily. "The poor people at the cottages--the servants. It is commonly known. I spoke to Mr Oldroyd yesterday." "And what did he dare to say?" cried Lucy, flaming up. "He would not say anything, but from his manner it was plain to see that he knew." "Oh!" sighed Lucy, with an expiration that betokened intense relief. "I have not yet spoken to Moray, but I feel that it is my duty to tell him all, and to bid him call Captain Rolph to account for what looks to me like a very ungentlemanly pursuit, and one that you must have encouraged." Lucy wanted to exclaim that she had not encouraged him; but here her conscience interposed, and she remained silent, while Mrs Alleyne went on in her cold, austere manner. "Far be it from me," she said, "to wish to check any natural impulses of your young life. It might cause a feeling akin to jealousy, but I should not murmur, Lucy, at your forming some attachment. I should even rejoice if Moray were to love and marry some sweet girl. It would work a change in him and drive away the strange morbid fancies which he shows at times. But clandestine proceedings with such an offensive, repellent person as that Captain Rolph I cannot countenance. I'm sure when Moray knows--" "But Moray must not know, mamma." "And pray why not, Lucy?" "Has he not been ill and troubled enough without being made anxious about such a piece of nonsense as this?"