He is afraid of you, and
would be desirous of knowing what you think."
"I am glad, at any rate, to hear that," said Lady Lufton, gravely.
"Had he done anything to encourage this, it would have been very
base." And then there was another short period of silence. Lord
Lufton had determined not to explain to his mother the whole state
of the case. He would not tell her that everything depended on her
word--that Lucy was ready to marry him only on condition that she,
Lady Lufton, would desire her to do so. He would not let her know
that everything depended on her--according to Lucy's present verdict.
He had a strong disinclination to ask his mother's permission to get
married; and he would have to ask it were he to tell her the whole
truth. His object was to make her think well of Lucy, and to induce
her to be kind, and generous, and affectionate down at Framley. Then
things would all turn out comfortably when he again visited that
place, as he intended to do on his return from Norway. So much he
thought it possible he might effect, relying on his mother's probable
calculation that it would be useless for her to oppose a measure
which she had no power of stopping by authority. But were he to tell
her that she was to be the final judge, that everything was to depend
on her will, then, so thought Lord Lufton, that permission would in
all probability be refused.
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