Charlotte laughed, and the youth felt mortified. The laugh was natural, and clearly extorted, without a thought of himself.
"When you are all married," he said, "you will form a little world in yourselves."
"When the sky falls we shall catch larks."
"Surely, you intend to marry?"
Maria made no reply, but turned her eyes on Delafield, with an affected expression of melancholy that excited another laugh in her friend.
"You certainly have made no rash vow on the subject," continued Seymour, pretending to a slight interest in her answer.
"My troth is not yet plighted," said the lady, a little archly.
"But there is no telling how long it will continue so."
"I am afraid so—thirteen is a dreadful divisor for a small family estate."
A general movement in the party was gladly seized by Charlotte as an excuse to go, and Delafield handed her to her carriage, with the mortifying conviction that she was utterly indifferent to every thing but the civility of the act.