'Ellinor?'
'Yes—and they both seemed happy enough in their hope of each other till Sir Redmond Sleath came hovering about her.'
Colville's face grew very dark.
'I did not like your friend's character,' said the minister.
'Friend—he was no friend of mine!' said Colville, bluntly.
'I saw through him soon after he first came here; I have had my experience of evil faces, and I could read his like a book.'
'And what were his views regarding Ellinor?'
'Matrimony, on the death of an uncle, I have heard, from whom he has great expectations.'
'He has no uncle by male or female side. This was some specious falsehood!' exclaimed Colville, with knitted brows.
'How do you know this?'