" Lucy shook her head; and, as if
her mother, still at the distance of half a mile, could have seen and
scrutinised her deportment, she withdrew herself from beside Ravenswood,
and, taking her brother Henry's arm, led him to a different part of the
terrace. The Keeper also shuffled down towards the portal of the great
gate, without inviting Ravenswood to accompany him; and thus he remained
standing alone on the terrace, deserted and shunned, as it were, by
the inhabitants of the mansion. This suited not the mood of one who was
proud in proportion to his poverty, and who thought that, in sacrificing
his deep-rooted resentments so far as to become Sir William Ashton's
guest, he conferred a favour, and received none. "I can forgive Lucy,"
he said to himself; "she is young, timid, and conscious of an important
engagement assumed without her mother's sanction; yet she should
remember with whom it has been assumed, and leave me no reason to
suspect that she is ashamed of her choice. For the Keeper, sense,
spirit, and expression seem to have left his face and manner since he
had the first glimpse of Lady Ashton's carriage.
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