Framley Parsonage (25 page)

‘Fanny,’ she said, ‘I want to speak to you about something
that is important and necessary to mention, and yet it is a very delicate affair to speak of.’ Fanny opened her eyes, and said that she hoped that nothing was wrong.

‘No, my dear, I think nothing is wrong: I hope so, and I think I may say I’m sure of it; but then it’s always well to be on one’s guard.’

‘Yes, it is,’ said Fanny, who knew that something unpleasant was coming – something as to
which she might probably be called upon to differ from her ladyship. Mrs Robarts’ own fears, however, were running entirely in the direction of her husband; – and, indeed, Lady Lufton had a word or two to say on that subject also, only not exactly now. A hunting parson was not at all to her taste; but that matter might be allowed to remain in abeyance for a few days.

‘Now, Fanny, you know that
we have all liked your sister-in-law, Lucy, very much.’ And then Mrs Robarts’ mind was immediately opened, and she knew the rest as well as though it had all been spoken. ‘I need hardly tell you that, for I am sure we have shown it.’

‘You have, indeed, as you always do.’

‘And you must not think that I am going to complain,’ continued Lady Lufton.

‘I hope there is nothing to complain of,’ said
Fanny, speaking by no means in a defiant tone, but humbly as it were, and deprecating her ladyship’s wrath. Fanny had gained one signal victory over Lady Lufton, and on that account, with a prudence equal to her generosity, felt that she could afford to be submissive. It might, perhaps, not be long before she would be equally anxious to conquer again.

‘Well, no; I don’t think there is,’ said
Lady Lufton. ‘Nothing to complain of; but a little chat between you and me may, perhaps, set matters right, which, otherwise, might become troublesome.’

‘Is it about Lucy?’

‘Yes, my dear – about Lucy. She is a very nice, good girl, and a credit to her father –’

‘And a great comfort to us,’ said Fanny.

‘I am sure she is: she must be a very pleasant companion to you, and so useful about the
children; but –’ And then Lady Lufton paused for a moment; for she, eloquent and discreet as she always was, felt herself rather at a loss for words to express her exact meaning.

‘I don’t know what I should do without her,’ said Fanny, speaking with the object of assisting her ladyship in her embarrassment.

‘But the truth is this: she and Lord Lufton are getting into the way of being too much
together – of talking to each other too exclusively. I am sure you must have noticed it, Fanny. It is not that I suspect any evil. I don’t think that I am suspicious by nature.’

‘Oh! no,’ said Fanny.

‘But they will each of them get wrong ideas about the other, and about themselves. Lucy will, perhaps, think that Ludovic means more than he does, and Ludovic will –’ But it was not quite so easy
to say what Ludovic might do or think; but Lady Lufton went on:

‘I am sure that you understand me, Fanny, with your excellent sense and tact. Lucy is clever, and amusing, and all that; and Ludovic, like all young men, is perhaps ignorant that his attentions may be taken to mean more than he intends –’

‘You don’t think that Lucy is in love with him?’

‘Oh dear, no – nothing of the kind. If I
thought it had come to that, I should recommend that she should be sent away altogether. I am sure she is not so foolish as that.’

‘I don’t think there is anything in it at all, Lady Lufton.’

‘I don’t think there is, my dear, and therefore I would not for worlds make any suggestion about it to Lord Lufton. I would not let him suppose that I suspected Lucy of being so imprudent. But still, it
may be well that you should just say a word to her. A little management now and then, in such matters, is so useful.’

‘But what shall I say to her?’

‘Just explain to her that any young lady who talks so much to the same young gentleman will certainly be observed – that
people will accuse her of setting her cap at Lord Lufton. Not that I suspect her – I give her credit for too much proper feeling:
I know her education has been good, and her principles are upright. But people will talk of her. You must understand that, Fanny, as well as I do.’

Fanny could not help meditating whether proper feeling, education, and upright principles did forbid Lucy Robarts to fall in love with Lord Lufton; but her doubts on this subject, if she held any, were not communicated to her ladyship. It had never
entered into her mind that a match was possible between Lord Lufton and Lucy Robarts, nor had she the slightest wish to encourage it now that the idea was suggested to her. On such a matter she could sympathize with Lady Lufton, though she did not completely agree with her as to the expediency of any interference. Nevertheless, she at once offered to speak to Lucy.

‘I don’t think that Lucy has
any idea in her head upon the subject,’ said Mrs Robarts.

‘I daresay not –l don’t suppose she has. But young ladies sometimes allow themselves to fall in love, and then to think themselves very ill-used, just because they have had no idea in their head.’

‘I will put her on her guard if you wish it, 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’ 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 carry her beautifully: he is as quiet
as a lamb, and I made Gregory go out with him yesterday with a sheet hanging over him like a lady’s habit, and the man got up into a lady’s saddle.’

‘I think Gregory would make a better hand of it than Lucy.’

‘The horse cantered with him as though he had carried a lady all his life, and his mouth is like velvet – indeed, that is his fault, he is too soft-mouthed.’

‘I suppose that’s the same
sort of thing as a man being softhearted,’ said Lucy.

‘Exactly: you ought to ride them both with a very light hand. They are difficult cattle to manage, but very pleasant when you know how to do it.’

‘But you see I don’t know how to do it,’ said Lucy.

‘As regards the horse, you will learn in two days, and I do hope you will try. Don’t you think it will be an excellent thing for her, Mrs Robarts?’

‘Lucy has got no habit,’ said Mrs Robarts, making use of the excuse common on all such occasions.

‘There is one of Justinia’s in the house, I know. She always leaves one here, in order that she may be able to ride when she comes.’

‘She would not think of taking such a liberty with Lady Meredith’s things,’ said Fanny, almost frightened at the proposal.

‘Of course it is out of the question, Fanny,’
said Lucy, now speaking rather seriously. ‘In the first place, I would not take Lord Lufton’s horse; in the second place, I would not take Lady Meredith’s habit; in the third place, I should be a great deal too much frightened; and, lastly, it is quite out of the question for a great many other very good reasons.’

‘Nonsense,’ said Lord Lufton.

‘A great deal of nonsense,’ said Lucy, laughing,
‘but all of it of Lord Lufton’s talking. But we are getting cold – are we not, Fanny? – so we will wish you good-night.’ And then the two ladies shook hands with him, and walked on towards the parsonage.

That which astonished Mrs Robarts the most in all this was the perfectly collected manner in which Lucy spoke and conducted herself. This, connected, as she could not but connect it, with the
air of chagrin with which Lord Lufton received Lucy’s decision, made it manifest to Mrs Robarts that Lord Lufton was annoyed because Lucy would not consent to learn to ride; whereas she, Lucy herself, had given her refusal in a firm and decided tone, as though resolved that nothing more should be said about it.

They walked on in silence for a minute or two, till they reached the parsonage gate,
and then Lucy 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. She thought well of all the persons concerned, and was very anxious to behave well by all of them; – was particularly anxious to create no ill feeling, and wished that everybody should be comfortable, and on good terms with everybody else. But yet the truth was forced out of her when this question was asked so suddenly.

‘Not
to lecture you, Lucy,’ she said at last.

‘Well, to preach to me, or to talk to me, or to give me a lesson; to say something that shall drive me to put my back up against Lord Lufton?’

‘To caution you, dearest. Had you heard what she said, you would hardly have felt angry with Lady Lufton.’

‘Well, to caution me. It is such a pleasant thing for a girl to be cautioned against falling in love with
a gentleman, especially when the gentleman is very rich, and a lord, and all that sort of thing!’

‘Nobody for a moment attributes anything wrong to you, Lucy.’

‘Anything wrong – no. I don’t know whether it would be anything wrong, even if I were to fall in love with him. I wonder whether they cautioned Griselda Grantly when she was here? I suppose when young lords go about, all the girls are
cautioned as a matter of course. Why do they not label him “dangerous?”’ And then again they were silent for a moment, as Mrs Robarts did not feel that she had anything further to say on the matter.

‘“Poison” should be the word with any one so fatal as Lord Lufton; and he ought to be made up of some particular colour, for fear he should be swallowed in mistake.’

‘You will be safe, you see,’
said Fanny, laughing, ‘as you have been specially cautioned as to this individual bottle.’