Wyntown was nearly equidistant between London and Wynford, so, calculating that Dr. Shepley had left town at the same hour as they had left Wynford, he must arrive at Wyntown not much later than themselves—so calculated Philip. He had no real reason to suppose that Dr. Shepley would come at all; everything depended on the contents of that letter, but if he did——
There was a rumble of wheels over the cobble-paved courtyard, and Phil saw a very tall grave-faced man jump down from the seat of a post-chaise and come up to the door. Carrie, at the sound of the wheels, came to the window. She laid her hand on Phil’s shoulder, and glanced out.
‘Phil! Phil!’ she cried, ‘ ’tis my dear father.’
In the one glance she had got of his face Carrie marked there a new stamp of anxiety she had never seen before—and it was she who had stamped it there! She turned away and buried her face on the cushions of the settle. Phil, trying to be hard-hearted, affected no sympathy with her grief, but when at last there came a succession of quick gasping sobs, he crossed the room and bent over her.
‘Come, Carrie, you must not grieve so,’ he said rather lamely. Carrie sat up and dried her pretty eyes, that were all reddened with tears.
‘O Phil,’ she said, with a little choke in her voice, ‘I have never seen him look thus. Ah, I must see him—speak with him—I shall explain!’
She rose and hurried to the door, but Phil barred her exit.
‘ ’Tis madness, Carrie—sheer madness this,’ he expostulated; ‘you’ll never see my face again if Dr. Shepley discovers you here with me.’
‘I cannot help it. Ah, Phil, do not be cruel! See him I must—then I shall go with you—then we will be married.’
‘You are a fool, Carrie!’ cried Phil, carried away by one of his sudden, hot fits of temper. ‘ “Then we will be married!”—do you suppose for one moment your father would permit our marriage?’