But some one was standing close beside her.
"Mr.Percy!" she exclaimed angry and annoyed, while Mrs.Bellairs hastily congratulated herself that he had neither been mentioned nor alluded to.
"I beg your pardon," he said.

"I came in this instant to look for you for our waltz.

Some one told me you were here." But Lucia could not recover her temper in a moment.
"It is very late," she said, "and I am too tired to dance any more--pray excuse me;" and she walked out of the room with the most dignified air in the world, leaving Mr.Percy in considerable surprise and some offence.

There was something so charming, however, in her little air of pride and displeasure, that he admired her more then ever; while she, quite unconscious of the effect her ill-humour had produced, made haste to prepare for her drive home, but found an opportunity at the last moment to throw her arms round Mrs.Bellairs' neck and whisper, as she said good-night, "Don't be vexed with me.

Indeed I shall never be a flirt." As usual, on Lucia's return from any evening amusement, Mrs.Costello herself opened the door of the Cottage on her arrival.