Gilbert moved up to Kitty's side, and, as the two stood together, their faces were tell-tale.
"Father," said Gilbert, blushing furiously, "Kitty has promised to be my wife."
Helen Eversleigh rushed forward and threw her arms round Kitty's neck, exclaiming, "Oh, you dear!" while Ernest warmly shook his brother's hand, but their father stood stock-still. He tried to speak, but the words were choked in his throat. Again he essayed to say something, but could not. With a groan he suddenly turned from them and fled upstairs.
"Father!" exclaimed Gilbert, calling after him. "What can be the matter with him, I wonder?" he said to Ernest, who merely answered that he could not tell.
And then the two lovers looked at each other. They both felt that Francis Eversleigh had behaved very strangely.
"I'm afraid Mr. Eversleigh is not at all well," said Kitty. "I am so sorry."
"Yes, father must be ill," agreed Gilbert; "still, I think it can't be anything very serious. And now, I suppose I must go," he added with a sigh.
The lovers bade each other good-bye in the porch. Absorbed in their happiness, they thought no more of Francis Eversleigh.
And when Gilbert spent the following day, which was a Sunday, at Surbiton, it was only to be expected that the lovers, after the immemorial manner of lovers, should concern themselves with themselves and their own affairs.
Francis Eversleigh remained in his room the whole day; he could not bear to see any one.