‘What, your head? Eh?’
‘Partly. Besides, there is another subject on which I hope you will set me at rest before I can enter on any other.’
‘Yes—yes—I know,’ said Mr. Edmonstone, moving uneasily.
‘I am perfectly conscious how deeply I have offended.’
Mr. Edmonstone could not endure the apology.
‘Well, well,’ he broke in nervously, ‘I know all that, and it can’t be helped. Say no more about it. Young people will be foolish, and I have been young and in love myself.’
That Captain Morville should live to be thankful for being forgiven in consideration of Mr. Edmonstone’s having been young!
‘May I then consider myself as pardoned, and as having obtained your sanction?’
‘Yes, yes, yes; and I hope it will cheer poor Laura up again a little. Four years has it gone on? Constancy, indeed! and it is time it should be rewarded. We little thought what you were up to, so grave and demure as you both were. So you won’t have the papers to-night? I can’t say you do look fit for business. Perhaps Laura may suit you better—eh, Philip?’
Love-making was such a charming sight to Mr. Edmonstone, that having once begun to look on Philip and Laura as a pair of lovers, he could not help being delighted, and forgetting, as well as forgiving, all that had been wrong.