‘To-morrow! Every possible day.’
Honor had truly been uneasy, fearing that Lucilla was walking, sitting down, or fasting imprudently; but the brilliant colour, the joyous eyes, and lively manner spoke wonderfully for the effects of native air. Mr. Prendergast had become more absent and awkward than ever, but his extra shyness passed unremarked, and Lucilla’s tact and grace supplied all deficiencies without obtrusiveness. Always at home in the vicarage, she made none of her former bantering display of familiarity, but only employed it quietly to secure the guests having what they wanted, and to awaken the host to his duties, when he forgot that any one save herself needed attention.
She was carried off before the river fog should arise, and her abstracted silence all the way home was not wondered at; although Phœbe, sitting opposite to her, was at a loss to read the furtive smiles that sometimes unclosed her lips, or the calm, pensive look of perfect satisfaction on her features; and Honor could not comprehend her entire absence of fatigue after so trying a day, and wondered whether it were really the old complaint—want of feeling.
At night, Honor came to her room, and began—‘My dear, I want to make a little explanation to you, if you are not tired.’
‘Oh! no—I had a little explanation to make to you,’ she answered, with a flush and a smile.
‘Perhaps it may be on the same subject,’ and as Cilla half laughed, and shook her head, she added—‘I meant to tell you that long ago—from the time I had the Holt—I resolved that what remained of my income after the duties of my property were fulfilled, should make a fund for you and Owen. It is not much, but I think you would like to have the option of anticipating a part, in case it should be possible to rescue that picture.’
‘Dear, dear Honor,’ exclaimed Cilla; ‘how very kindly you
are doing it! Little did I think that Charles’s heartlessness would have brought me so much joy and kindness.’
‘Then you would like it to be done,’ said Honor, delighted to find that she had been able so to administer a benefit as to excite neither offence nor resignation. ‘We will take care that the purchaser learns the circumstances, and he can hardly help letting you have it at a fair valuation.’
‘Thanks, thanks, dear Honor,’ repeated Lucy; ‘and now for my explanation. Mr. Prendergast has asked me to marry him.’