‘Because she is a woman,’ he replied, with forced audacity and an awkward smile. ‘Why do you suppose that she is changed?’
‘You cannot have noticed her lately, or you would not require to ask. She has grown pale and nervous and forgets what she is told—blushes and grows white without any reason.’
‘All that fits in exactly with my suspicion,’ said Philip seriously; ‘she has seen somebody else who has caught her fancy more than Kersey, and she is either afraid or ashamed to own it.’
Madge looked surprised.
‘I never knew you to be so uncharitable, Philip. Can you not imagine any other cause for her unhappy state?’
‘No.’ He could not bring himself to say: ‘I have seen my brother Coutts talking to her in a way which I should call flirting if she had been a girl with a good dowry at her back. I know that he will require substantial compensation for the surrender of his bachelorhood.’
‘It might be so,’ said Madge reflectively; ‘but my idea was that she had been so worried by her father, that she had come to wish Caleb would keep away, and was too shy to tell him frankly.’
‘Perhaps it is so; and maybe it would be best that we should not interfere. At the same time, I think old Culver should have a hint that in standing in Kersey’s way he is doing his daughter an injury that he may be sorry for by-and-by. You might do that without risk of hurting anybody.’
‘Yes; and if Pansy gives me an opportunity, I shall tell her what you think about Caleb.’
‘And about his prospects—don’t forget that with both of them. I told her this afternoon, when passing, that there was good news coming to her, and there could be no better angel than you to carry it.’