"This is all very bewildering," complained Worth. "I thought your hopes had been centred on her eventually doing so?"
"Yes, I did hope it, but I didn't know it had gone so deep with him. How wretched everything is! Even my spirits are quite oppressed. Lucy, too! She has no appearance of happiness, which makes me fear that Charles only feels towards her as a brother might."
He raised his brows. "Is she in love with him?"
"I very much fear it."
"Now you have gone quite beyond me," he said. "I was under the impression that you had made up your mind that she should fall in love with him?"
"So I had, but I never dreamed then that he would become entangled with the horridest woman in Brussels. If he could requite Lucy's love it would be the most delightful thing imaginable, but I don't believe he does."
"You will admit it to be early days yet for him to be bestowing his affections a second time."
"Lady Barbara does not seem to find it too early! But Lucy!" She paused, frowning. "I was afraid that the child was losing her prettiness over Lord George, but nothing could be more resolute than her shunning of his society. It has seemed to me that since Charles has been free, she has been regaining some of her spirits. But I would not for the world encourage that attachment, if there is no hope of Charles's affections becoming animated towards her."
"May I make a suggestion?"
"Of course: what is it?"