"What are you looking for?" enquired Lucy, at length, seeing how troubled her face became.
She started at perceiving she was noticed, and replied, with ill affected carelessness—
"I had a chain round my neck which I can't find."
"Oh," said Lucy, "that is quite safe—for Henry has it for you."
"How did he get it?" said Mabel, her face and neck suffused with deep crimson.
"Caroline wanted to look at it—but, just as she was going to raise the spring of the locket to see what was in it, he put his arms round her, and took it from her—not very polite certainly—but your locket is safe—for I do not suppose he will look at it, as he took it from Caroline."
Mabel covered her face with her hands, and Lucy saw, with surprise, that tears were trickling through her fingers—but presently she brushed them aside, exclaiming—
"How silly to be put out by such a trifle—promise me, dear Lucy, not to say how vexed I was at nothing."
"No, Mabel—it would indeed be unkind to notice the few unreasonable moods in which you ever indulge."
Neither said more at that time—and Lucy, as had been her habit lately, was silent for some hours.