Evelyn was very restless the whole time. She began to follow the example of her father and uncle, and to pace up and down the room; but I insisted on her putting her feet up on the sofa and remaining quiet.
At length the two gentlemen brought their walk and their talk to a conclusion, and came towards the house. Sir William ran upstairs as soon as he came in.
"How are you, my dear child?" he said to Evelyn, even more tenderly than usual. "You look so pale. Please take care of her, Miss Lindsay, and make her lie down."
"What is the matter, papa?" whispered Evelyn, whilst I prepared to leave the room, thinking Sir William might wish to speak to her alone.
"Oh, I will tell you about it afterwards, dear," said her father; "it is some rather unpleasant business about which your uncle wanted to see me. Don't go away, please, Miss Lindsay; we have letters to write at once, I must not stay now."
In spite of Evelyn's pleading glances, Sir William went downstairs, and he and his brother, after hastily partaking of dinner, spent the rest of the evening together in Sir William's private room.
"What can it be?" Evelyn kept saying. "What can papa mean by unpleasant business? It can't be about what I told him the other night, or he would have said so. What can be the matter?"
Of course, I could not help her to find out, we could only wonder and wait.
Mr. Edward Trafford left the next morning at a very early hour, that he might catch the first train for London. Sir William and I were alone at breakfast, for Evelyn was not well enough to rise.
"How is Evelyn this morning?" said Sir William, anxiously, as I entered the room.