'Of course, sister,' replied Lucy calmly; 'I could say nothing else, you know; for when I came to see you five years ago, papa told me that he meant to give us both fortunes when we married.'
'And you told Miss Moore this?'
'Certainly. She kissed me when I told her,' continued Lucy, beginning to weep again as all these reminiscences were summoned to her mind, 'and said that I had eased her mind very much, her nephew was very poor, and her money would do him and his family great service; and it is never a good thing for a young girl to have much money independent of her parents, my aunt said; and I think she was quite right.'
'Well,' said Selina, drawing a long breath, 'for a girl of nineteen years and three months of age I certainly do think you are the very greatest simpleton I ever saw.'
'Why so?' inquired Lucy in some surprise.
'Why, for telling your aunt about the fortune you would have: you might have known that she would not make you her heiress if you were rich already.'
'But she asked me the question, Selina.'
'That was no reason why you should have answered as you did.'
'How could I have answered otherwise after what papa had told me?'
Lucy was imperturbable in her simplicity and guilelessness. Selina turned from her impatiently, despairing of ever making her comprehend how foolishly she had behaved.