On her first arrival at Framley she had been so shy, so silent, and so much awestruck by the grandeur of Framley Court, that Lady Lufton had sympathized with her and encouraged her.

She had endeavoured to moderate the blaze of her own splendour, in order that Lucy's unaccustomed eyes might not be dazzled.

But all this was changed now.

Lucy could listen to the young lord's voice by the hour together--without being dazzled in the least.

Under these circumstances two things occurred to her.