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of Philip。 As tall and twice as broad。 I thought Juno herself was
advancing on me from the station。'
'How did you get on with her？'
'Famously； I told her all about everything； and how the affair is to be
really quiet； which she had never believed。 She could hardly believe
my word； when I told her there was to be absolutely no one but
ourselves and Mary Ross。 She supposed it was for your sake； and I did
not tell her it was for their own。 It really was providential that the
Kilcoran folk disgusted my father with grand weddings； for Philip never
could endure one。'
'Oh； Miss Mischief； there goes my hair again！ You know Philip is
exceedingly worried about Mr。 Fielder。 Lord Kilcoran has been writing
to ask him to find him a situation。'
'That is an article they will be seeking all the rest of their lives；'
said Charles。 'A man is done for when he begins to look for a
situation！ Yes； those Fielders will be a drag on Philip and Laura for
ever； for they don't quite like to cast them off； feeling as he does
that he led to her getting into the scrape； by recommending him； and
poor Laura thinking she set the example。'
'I wish Eva was away from home；' said Amy； 'for Aunt Charlotte's
accounts of her vex Laura so much。'
'Ay！ trying to eat her cake and have it； expecting to be Mr。 Fielder's
wife； and reign as the earl's daughter all the same。 Poor thing！ the
day they get the situation will be a sad one for her。 She does not
know what poortith cauld will be like。'
'Poor Eva！' said Amy。 'I dare say she will shine and be all the better
for trouble。 There is much that is so very nice in her。'
'Ay； if she has not spoilt it all by this time；as that creature is
doing with your hair！ You little monkey； what have you to say to me？'
'Only to wish you good night。 Come； baby； we must go to Anne。 Good
night； Uncle Charles。'
Just as Amabel had borne off her little girl； Mrs。 Edmonstone and
Charlotte came in； after conducting Mrs。 Henley to her room。 Charlotte
made a face of wonder and dismay； and Mrs。 Edmonstone asked where Amy
was。
'She carried the baby to the nursery just before you came。 I wish you
had seen her。 The little thing had pulled down her hair and made her
look so pretty and like herself。'
'How well her spirits keep up！ She has been running up and down stairs
all day； helping about everything。 Well！ we little thought how things
would turn out。'
'And that after all Amy would be the home…bird；' said Charles。 'I
don't feel as if it was wrong to rejoice in having her in this sweet；
shady brightness； as she is now。'
'Do you know whether she means to go to church to…morrow？ I don't like
to ask。'
'Nor I。'
'I know she does；' said Charlotte。 'She told me so。'
'I hope it will not be too much for her！ Dear Amy。'
'She would say it was wrong to have our heads fuller of her than of our
bride；' said Charles。
'Poor Laura！' said Mrs。 Edmonstone。 'I am glad it is all right at
last。 They have both gone through a great deal。'
'And not in vain；' added Charles。 'Philip is'
'Oh； I say not a word against him ！' cried Mrs。 Edmonstone。 'He is
most excellent； he will be very distinguished；he will make her very
happy。 Yes。'
'In fact；' said Charles； 'he is made to be one of the first in this
world； and to be first by being above it； and the only reason we are
almost discontented is； that we compare him with one who was too good
for this world。'
'It is not only that。'
'Ah！ you did not see him at Redclyffe； or you would do more than simply
forgiving him as a Christian。'
'I am very sorry for him。'
'That is not quite enough；' said Charles； smiling； with a mischievous
air； though fully in earnest。 'Is it； Charlotte？ She must take him
home to her mamma's own heart。'
'No； no； that is asking too much； Charlie；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone。
'Only one ever was' then breaking off'and I can never think of
Philip as I used to do。'
'I like him much better now；' said Charlotte。
'For my part；' said Charles； 'I never liked himnay； that's too mild；
I could not abide him； I rebelled against him； heart； soul； and taste。
If it had not been for Guy； his fashion of goodness would have made me
into an extract of gall and wormwood； at the very time you admired him；
and yet a great deal of it was genuine。 But it is only now that I have
liked him。 Nay； I look up to him； I think him positively noble and
grand； and when I see proofs of his being entirely repentant； I
perceive he is a thorough great man。 If I had not seen one greater； I
should follow his young man's example and take him for my hero model。'
'As if you wanted a hero model；' whispered Charlotte； in a tone between
caressing and impertinence。
'I've had one！' returned Charles； also aside。
'Yes；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone； going on with her own thoughts； 'unless
there had been a great fund of real goodness； he would never have felt
it so deeply。 Indeed； even when I best liked Philip； I never thought
him capable of such repentance as he has shown。'
'If mamma wants to like him very much；' said Charlotte； 'I think she
has only to look at our other company。'
'Ay！' said Charles； 'we want no more explanation of the tone of the
〃Thank you；〃 with which he answered the offer to invite his sister。'
'One comfort is； she can't stay long。 She has got a committee meeting
for the Ladies' Literary and Scientific Association； and must go home
for it the day after to…morrow；' said Charlotte。
'If you are very good； perhaps she will give you a ticket； Charlotte；'
said her brother； 'and another for Bustle。'
Mrs。 Henley was； meanwhile； highly satisfied with the impression she
thought she was making on her aunt's family； especially on Charles and
Charlotte。 The latter she patronized； to her extreme though suppressed
indignation； as a clever； promising girl； the former； she discovered to
be a very superior young man； a most valuable assistant to her brother
in his business； and her self…complacency prevented her from finding
out how he was playing her off； whenever neither Philip nor Laura were
at hand to be hurt by it。
She thought Laura a fine…looking person； like her own family； and fit
to be an excellent lady of the house； and in spite of the want of
fortune； she perceived that her brother's choice had been far better
than if he had married that poor pale little Amabel； go silent and
quiet that she never could make a figure anywhere； and had nothing like
the substantive character that her brother must have in a wife。
Could Mrs。 Henley have looked behind the scenes she would have
marvelled。
'One kiss for mamma； and one for papa；' was Amy's half…uttered morning
greeting； as she lifted from her cot her little one； with cheeks
flushed by sleep。 Morning and evening Amy spok