"To act upon it?"
"By declining to become Mrs. Carleton St. John."
"No," said Charlotte, very quietly. "What is the cause?"
"My darling, I have said that I cannot tell you: and that is why I ask you to trust me as confidently as you did when a little child. The thought came over me just now, while Mr. Carleton was here, to speak openly to him. The next moment I felt faint and sick with dread at the bare thought. I may not tell Mr. Carleton; I will not tell you----"
"I do wish you wouldn't call him by that name!" Charlotte interrupted.
"My dear, it is that I have fallen into the habit of it," murmured Mrs. Darling.
"It's like a scene in a play," exclaimed Charlotte. "I may not marry George St. John for some reason, and I may not know what the reason is! He is not going to turn out my brother, or cousin, I suppose? Rather romantic, that, for these matter-of-fact days!"
"Oh, Charlotte, be serious! Do not indulge in nonsense now. You know that you are Charlotte Norris, and that he is George St. John; and that you never were related yet. It is not that: I wish it were nothing else."
"What is it?"
"I cannot tell you, Charlotte. I cannot; I cannot."