So far, so good.  However Lucy might have been vexed or disappointed at the reply—­and she was both; still more at the delay which had taken place—­there the matter would have ended.  But Colonel Tempest, having no idea that Lady Verner was a stranger to this request; inferring, on the contrary, that she was a party to it, and must, therefore, be growing tired of her charge, had also written to her an elaborate apology for leaving Lucy so long upon her hands, and for being unable to comply with her wish to be relieved of her.  This enlightened Lady Verner as to what Lucy had done.

She was very angry.  She was worse than angry; she was mortified.  And she questioned Lucy a great deal more closely than that young lady liked, as to what her motive could have been, and why she was tired of Deerham Court.

Lucy, all self-conscious of the motive by which she had been really actuated, stood before her like a culprit.  “I am not tired of Deerham Court, Lady Verner.  But I wished to be with papa.”

“Which is equivalent to saying that you wish to be away from me,” retorted my lady.  “I ask you why?”

“Indeed, Lady Verner, I am pleased to be with you; I like to be with you.  It was not to be away from you that I wrote.  It is a long while since I saw papa; so long, that I seem to have forgotten what he is like.”

“Can you assure me, in all open truth, that the wish to be with Colonel Tempest was your sole reason for writing, unbiassed by any private feeling touching Deerham?” returned Lady Verner, searching her face keenly.  “I charge you answer me, Lucy.”

Lucy could not answer that it was her sole reason, unless she told an untruth.  Her eyes fell under the gaze bent upon her.

“I see,” said Lady Verner.  “You need not equivocate more.  Is it to me that you have taken a dislike? or to any part of my arrangements?”

“Believe me, dear Lady Verner, that it is neither to you nor to your home,” she answered, the tears rising to her eyes.  “Believe me, I am as happy here as I ever was; on that score I have no wish to change.”

It was an unlucky admission of Lucy’s, “on that score.”  Of course, Lady Verner immediately pressed to know on what other score the wish might be founded.  Lucy pleaded the desire to be with her father, which Lady Verner did not believe; and she pleaded nothing else.  It was not satisfactory to my lady, and she kept Lucy the whole of the morning, harping upon the sore point.

Lionel entered, and interrupted the discussion.  Lady Verner put him in possession of the facts.  That for some cause which Lucy refused to explain, she wanted to leave Deerham Court; had been writing, twelve months back, to Colonel Tempest, to be allowed to join him in India; and the negative answer had arrived but that morning.  Lady Verner would like the motive for her request explained; but Lucy was obstinate, and would not explain it.

Lionel turned his eyes on Lucy.  If she had stood self-conscious before Lady Verner, she stood doubly self-conscious now.  Her eyelashes were drooping, her cheeks were crimson.