That morning old Lady Lufton herself had come across to the parsonage with the express view of bidding all the party to come across to the hall to dine.  ’You can tell Mr Oriel, Fanny, with Lucy’s compliments, how delighted she will be to see him.’  Old Lady Lufton always spoke of her daughter-in-law as the mistress of the house.  ’If you think he is particular, you know, we will send a note across.’  Mrs Robarts said that she supposed Mr Oriel would not be particular, but, looking at Grace, made some faint excuse.  ‘You must come, my dear,’ said Lady Lufton.  ‘Lucy wishes it particularly.’  Mrs Robarts did not know how to say that she would not come; and so the matter stood—­when Mrs Robarts was called upon to leave the room for a moment, and Lady Lufton and Grace were left alone.

‘Dear Lady Lufton,’ said Grace, getting up suddenly from her chair; ‘will you do me a favour—­a great favour?’ She spoke with an energy which quite surprised the old lady, and caused her almost to start from her seat.

‘I don’t like making promises,’ said Lady Lufton; ’but anything I can do with propriety, I will.’

’You can do this.  Pray let me stay here today.  You don’t understand how I feel about going out while papa is in this way.  I know how kind and how good you all are; and when dear Mrs Robarts asked me here, and mamma said that I had better come, I could not refuse.  But indeed, indeed I had rather not go out to a dinner-party.’

‘It is not a party, my dear girl,’ said Lady Lufton, with the kindest voice which she knew how to assume.  ’And you must remember that my daughter-in-law regards you as so very old a friend!  You remember, of course, when she was staying at Hogglestock?’

‘Indeed I do.  I remember it well.’

’And therefore you should not regard it as going out.  There will be nobody there but ourselves and the people from this house.’

’But it will be going out, Lady Lufton; and I do hope you will let me stay here.  You cannot think how I feel it.  Of course I cannot go without something like dressing—­and—­and—.  In poor papa’s state I feel that I ought not to do anything that looks like gaiety.  I ought never to forget it;—­not for a moment.’

There was a tear in Lady Lufton’s eye as she said—­’My dear, you shan’t come.  You and Fanny shall stop and dine here by yourselves.  The gentlemen shall come.’

‘Do let Mrs Robarts go, please,’ said Grace.

‘I won’t do anything of the kind,’ said Lady Lufton.  Then, when Mrs Robarts returned to the room, her ladyship explained it all in two words.  ’Whilst you have been away, my dear, Grace has begged off, and therefore we have decided that Mr Oriel and Mr Robarts shall come without you.’

‘I am so sorry, Mrs Robarts,’ said Grace.

‘Pooh, pooh,’ said Lady Lufton.  ’Fanny and I have known each other quite long enough not to stand on any compliments—­haven’t we, my dear?  I must get home now, as all the morning has gone by.  Fanny, my dear, I want to speak to you.’  Then she expressed her opinion of Grace Crawley as she walked across the parsonage garden with Mrs Robarts.  ’She is a very nice girl, and a very good girl I am sure; and she shows excellent feeling.  Whatever happens we must take care of her.  And, Fanny, have you observed how handsome she is?’