She had a puzzled look in spite of her satisfaction.

That night she ascertained through wariest soundings that Lucina had not met Jerome when riding in the morning.

She had suspected something, though she scarcely knew what.

Lucina's secrecy lately had deceived even her mother.

She had begun to think that the girl had not been as much in earnest in her love affair as she had thought, and was drooping from some other cause.
When Lucina revealed with innocent readiness that she had met Colonel Lamson that morning and talked with him, and with no one else, Abigail could make nothing of it.
However, Lucina from that day on improved.