"My mother is not well. I must speak to you for her, Mr. Percy, and for myself."
"But Lucia!" he cried. "What is this? What is the matter? Have you forgotten last night?"
Her quiet was shaken for a moment.
"No, indeed," she answered. "No. I shall never forget last night."
"You have surely forgotten what I came for this morning then," he said placing a chair for her. "Sit down and tell me what is wrong, for something is." His tone, his look, so utterly unsuspicious of anything that could come between them in this trouble of hers, were hard to bear. But she had to speak.
"Something is wrong at present," she said steadily; "but we can set it right. I made a terrible mistake last night. You must go away and forget all we said to each other."
He looked at her incredulously.
"Explain," he said.
She had to pause for a moment. If it were but over!
"Pray believe what I say," she answered, forming the words slowly and with difficulty. "I found out last night after you had gone away that it was a mistake and a wrong—that you could not marry me, nor I you. Do you understand?"