"It is no secret," he said; "I may tell you, I suppose. He called about
some points in a marriage settlement."

Maurice felt his heart give a great leap.

"Whose?" he asked sharply.

Mr. Payne again looked surprised.

"His own, certainly. He is going to marry a daughter of the Earl of
C----, and I had the honour of being employed by the late Countess's
family, from whom her ladyship derives what fortune she has. It is not
very large," he added, dropping from his dignified tone into a more
confidential one.

Maurice was silent for a minute. His sensations were curious; divided
between joy that Lucia was certainly free in _this_ quarter, and a
vehement desire to knock down, horsewhip, or otherwise ill-use the
Honourable Edward Percy. Of course, this was a savage impulse, only
worthy of a half-civilized backwoodsman, but happily he kept it down out
of sight, and his companion filled up the pause.

"The marriage is to take place in a week. The engagement has been
hastily got up, they say, at last; though there was some talk of it a
year ago. He does not seem particularly eager about it now."

"What is he marrying her for?" was Maurice's next question, put with an
utter disregard of all possibilities of sentiment in the matter--the man
whom Lucia _might_ have loved could not but be indifferent to all other
women.