He wanted no such companion.
And when he was well gone--absolutely out of sight from the window--Lucy walked steadily up to her room, locked the door, and then threw herself on the bed.

Why--oh! why had she told such a falsehood?
Could anything justify her in a lie?
was it not a lie--knowing as she did that she loved him with all her loving heart?
But, then, his mother! and the sneers of the world, which would have declared that she had set her trap, and caught the foolish young lord! Her pride would not have submitted to that.

Strong as her love was, yet her pride was, perhaps, stronger--stronger at any rate during that interview.

But how was she to forgive herself the falsehood she had told?
.