‘In a few years,’ said Mrs. Edmonstone; ‘and he is a mere boy at present, so there is plenty of time for both to develop themselves.’
‘Most true, madame mere; but it remains to be proved whether the liking for Sir Guy, which has taken hold of my lady Eveleen, is strong enough to withstand all the coquetting with young Irishmen, and all the idling at Kilcoran.’
‘I hope she has something better to be relied on than the liking for Sir Guy.’
‘You may well do so, for I think he has no notion of throwing off his allegiance to you—his first and only love. He liked very well to make fun with Eva; but he regarded her rather as a siren, who drew him off from his Latin and Greek.’
‘Yes; I am ashamed of myself for such a fit of match-making! Forget it, Charlie, as fast as you can.’
CHAPTER 11
This warld’s wealth, when I think o’t,
Its pride, and a’ the lave o’t,
Fie, fie on silly coward man,
That he should be the slave o’t.
—BURNS
In another week Mr. Edmonstone and his eldest daughter were to depart on their Irish journey. Laura, besides the natural pain in leaving home, was sorry to be no longer near Philip, especially as it was not likely that he would be still at Broadstone on their return; yet she was so restless and dissatisfied, that any change was welcome, and the fear of betraying herself almost took away the pleasure of his presence.
He met them at the railway station at Broadstone, where Mr. Edmonstone, finding himself much too early, recollected something he had forgotten in the town, and left his daughter to walk up and down the platform under Philip’s charge. They felt it a precious interval, but both were out of spirits, and could hardly profit by it.