‘Then unhear!’ said Lucilla, pettishly. ‘You, at least, ought to be glad of that.’
‘By no means,’ returned Robert, gravely. ‘I have far too great a regard for you not to be most deeply concerned at what I see is making you unhappy.’
‘May not I be unhappy if I like, with my brother in this state?’
‘That is not all, Lucilla.’
‘Then never mind! You are the only one who never pitied me, and so I like you. Don’t spoil it now!’
‘You need not be afraid of my pitying you if you have brought on this misunderstanding by your old spirit!’
‘Not a bit of it! I tell you he pitied me. I found it out in time, so I set him free. That’s all.’
‘And that was the offence?’
‘Offence! What are you talking of? He didn’t offend—No, but when I said I could not bring so many upon him, and could not have Owen teased about the thing, he said he would bother me no more, that I had Owen, and did not want him. And then he walked off.’
‘Taking you at your word?’