Never mind that.

I will have some tea with you, please, by-and-by." But Lucia had received a glance from her mother, and was gone already to try what Claudine's resources could produce.

Mrs.Costello leaned forward, and laid her hand entreatingly on Maurice's arm, "Tell me what all this means ?" she said.
He tried to smile as he returned her look, but his eyes fell before the earnestness of hers.
"What what means ?" he asked.
"Both you and Lucia know something I don't know," she answered.

"I would rather question you than her.

Has she troubled you ?" "Not in the way you think," he answered quickly.