Lord Lufton took out Mrs. Grantly to dinner, and matters were so
managed that Miss Grantly sat on his other side. There was no
management apparent in this to anybody; but there she was, while
Lucy was placed between her brother and Captain Culpepper. Captain
Culpepper was a man with an enormous moustache, and a great aptitude
for slaughtering game; but as he had no other strong characteristics
it was not probable that he would make himself very agreeable to poor
Lucy. She had seen Lord Lufton once, for two minutes, since the day
of that walk, and then he had addressed her quite like an old friend.
It had been in the parsonage drawing-room, and Fanny had been there.
Fanny now was so well accustomed to his lordship, that she thought
but little of this, but to Lucy it had been very pleasant. He was not
forward or familiar, but kind, and gentle, and pleasant; and Lucy did
feel that she liked him. Now, on this evening, he had hitherto hardly
spoken to her; but then she knew that there were other people in
the company to whom he was bound to speak. She was not exactly
humble-minded in the usual sense of the word; but she did recognise
the fact that her position was less important than that of other
people there, and that therefore it was probable that to a certain
extent she would be overlooked.
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