It had been a hard week in Parliament,
however, and his features and complexion showed signs of overwork and
short sleep.
For a few minutes, while tea was renewed, and the curtains closed, he
maintained a pleasant chat with Lady Lucy, while the other two looked at
each other in silence.
But when the servant had gone, Ferrier put down his cup unfinished. "I
am very sorry for you both," he said, gravely, looking from Lady Lucy to
her son. "I need not say your letter this morning took me wholly by
surprise. I have since been doing my best to think of a way out."
There was a short pause--broken by Marsham, who was sitting a little
apart from the others, restlessly fingering a paper-knife.
"If you could persuade my mother to take a kind and reasonable view," he
said, abruptly; "that is really the only way out."
Lady Lucy stiffened under the attack. Drawn on by Ferrier's
interrogative glance, she quietly repeated, with more detail, and even
greater austerity, the arguments and considerations she had made use of
in her wrestle with Sir James. Chide clearly perceived that her
opposition was hardening with every successive explanation of it.
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