Her tone was quite matter-of-fact. Ella gave a half shy look at her—it was reassuring.
“Yes,” she said, “they have seemed like that, I know, but still—one never knows how things may turn out. Would you like to read my letter, aunt?—and may I see yours? Ermine’s is very, very kind.”
“Kinder than I deserve,” she added to herself. How grievously she had misjudged her sisters, Madelene especially! How suspicious and mean now seemed her fancies that Madelene was plotting to keep her out of Sir Philip’s way in order that she might bring about a marriage between him and Ermine! She grew more and more ashamed as she read Madelene’s own letter to her aunt, for it was evident that Miss St Quentin’s personal feelings were those of the greatest satisfaction; there was not the slightest shadow of regret or disappointment that Ermine’s choice should have fallen where it had.
“She could not have written as she does if she had ever thought of Sir Philip as I suspected,” thought Ella, and she sat, lost in her own reflections till her aunt’s voice interrupted her.
“Have you ever seen him, Ella—your future brother-in-law—Mr Guildford West?” asked Mrs Burton.
“N-no—no,” Ella replied, “at least I don’t remember him. I think—yes, I recollect Madelene’s saying once that he was at the Manor ball, but I don’t think I knew which he was.”
Then her mind reverted to what Madelene had said at different times about Ermine’s future, and she felt startled again to think how she had misinterpreted every allusion of the kind. Yet there was still something she could not altogether understand—why had Madelene spoken of her as such a care and burden, adding to the existing “complications?”
“No,” thought Ella, “I can’t quite make it out. But I will never mistrust Madelene again—it is the least I can do to trust her now after having so shamefully misjudged her. Some day perhaps, if she and I are ever together again—some day she will explain things perhaps and till then I can only ask her pardon in my heart.”
She was very pale and there were tears in her eyes as she roused herself to take part in her aunt’s eager speculations and comments on the interesting piece of news.
“It is so nice of Madelene to say they will hope to see us at the wedding. I hope Mr Burton will go; he is rather shy, you see, Ella, having been so long a bachelor, and that makes him seem gruff till people get to know him. But we must get him to go—it will be charming to see you as bridesmaid. I am so pleased about it altogether. And your father is pleased—it will do him good. Mr West must be very nice in every way,” she went on, “not very rich, I suppose, but with Ermine’s fortune that was not necessary.”