Meanwhile, the moment Lucy had finished her duties at the tea-table, she hastened to Damerel’s cottage, in the hope, not of seeing her lover, but his mother, alone.  The old dame, perceiving her pale and in low spirits, thought she divined the cause, by supposing the girl was sorrowing at the imprudence of the step Luke had proposed to her.  ‘Well, well,’ said the kind old woman, ’things may not be so bad after all, Lucy.  And since Luke has set his heart so much upon it, and you, I am sure, are nothing loath, we must try and manage it.  I’ll tell you what I’ve been thinking, girl.  You see the great mischief will be your being obliged to give up your place at the farm; now, I know a plan by which that loss may be mended.  You are a quick, handy maid; and suppose—­suppose’—­and here the good old woman took Lucy’s hands in hers—­’suppose I teach you lace-making?’

These words poured a light into Lucy’s heart which seemed to banish all her grief.  The means of rendering herself independent of her present situation was all she wished for.  She loved Luke tenderly, dearly, and with a fervent, virtuous desire, wished to become his wife.  This wish had grown much stronger since her painful interview with him, not only because she wished to prove she was ready to sacrifice everything for his sake, but for another and more perplexing reason.  Her master had paid her attentions that evening which left no doubt on her mind that he desired her for his wife.

When Mrs Damerel heard the news, she was much distressed.  ’Oh, it is too bad!’ she exclaimed, ’to think that my Luke should be the means of preventing you from marrying so well—­you who are worthy of any man.’

’Do not think of that; I could not be happy with one I do not love.  So now, dear mother—­for I will always call you so—­let me hear what plan you propose.’

’Well, instead of talking idly, as we always do when you come to see us, you shall let me teach you the lace-making.  Come every night, and in a month or two I shall be able to put you in a way to earn quite as much as you do now at Farmer Modbury’s.  When this is the case, we must see about getting yourself and Luke asked in church, for surely both your earnings put together will be enough to keep you comfortably.’

‘But will not the farmer bear some enmity to poor Luke?’

’I will answer for him, girl, I have known him longer than he has known himself.  I nursed him, and I can say with truth that a better-hearted man does not live.  Should he again offer you any civilities, tell him the whole truth, and I’ll warrant he will not repeat them.’

That evening Lucy tripped home with a light heart.  When she retired to rest, she built many an air-castle of future happiness.

The next morning, as the home-servants of Modbury’s farm were going to their daily toil, they found a crowd round Damerel’s cottage door.  On inquiring into the cause, they were told that Luke had in a fit of despair enlisted as a soldier, and that the news had wrought so violently on the feelings of his mother, that it was thought she could never recover!