Lucy Robarts was blessed with an intelligence keener than that of her brothers or sisters.
"To tell the truth, Mark, I admire Lucy more than I do Blanche." This had been said by Mrs.Robarts within a few hours of her having assumed that name.

"She's not a beauty, I know, but yet I do." "My dearest Fanny!" Mark had answered in a tone of surprise.
"I do then; of course people won't think so; but I never seem to care about regular beauties.

Perhaps I envy them too much." What Mark said next need not be repeated, but everybody may be sure that it contained some gross flattery for his young bride.

He remembered this, however, and had always called Lucy his wife's pet.

Neither of the sisters had since that been at Framley; and though Fanny had spent a week at Exeter on the occasion of Blanche's marriage, it could hardly be said that she was very intimate with them.
Nevertheless, when it became expedient that one of them should go to Framley, the remembrance of what his wife had said immediately induced Mark to make the offer to Lucy; and Jane, who was of a kindred soul with Blanche, was delighted to go to Creamclotted Hall.