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she heard him allude to the long separation to which there seemed no
limit； but they could say no more。
'Amy；' said Charles； when she returned to him after dinner； 'I am more
than ever convinced that things will right themselves。 I never saw
prejudice more at fault。'
'Did he tell you all about it？'
'I worked out of him all I could； and it is my belief Guy had the best
of it。 I only wonder he did not horsewhip Philip round the quadrangle。
I wish he had。'
'Oh； no； no！ But he controlled himself？'
'If he had not we should have heard of it fast enough；' and Charles
told what he had been able to gather； while she sat divided between joy
and pain。
Philip saw very little more of Charles。 He used to come to ask him how
he was once a day； but never received any encouragement to lengthen his
visit。 These gatherings in the diseased joint were always excessively
painful； and were very long in coming to the worst； as well as
afterwards in healing； and through the week of Philip's stay at
Hollywell； Charles was either in a state of great suffering； or else
heavy and confused with opiates。 His mother's whole time and thoughts
were absorbed in him； she attended to him day and night； and could
hardly spare a moment for anything else。 Indeed； with all her
affection and anxiety for the young lovers； Charles was so entirely her
engrossing object； that her first feeling of disappointment at the
failure of Philip's journey of investigation was because it would
grieve Charlie。 She could not think about Guy just then； and for Amy
there was nothing for it but patience； and； good little creature； it
was very nice to see her put her own troubles aside； and be so cheerful
a nurse to her brother。 She was almost always in his room； for he
liked to have her there； and she could not conquer a certain shrinking
from Philip。
Laura had once pleaded hard and earnestly for Guy with Philip； but all
in vain； she was only taught to think the case more hopeless than
before。 Laura was a very kind nurse and sister； but she could better
be spared than her mother and Amy； so that it generally fell to her lot
to be down…stairs； making the drawing…room habitable。 Dr。 Mayerne；
whenever Charles was ill； used to be more at Hollywell than at his own
house； and there were few days that he did not dine there。 When Amy
was out of the way； Philip used to entertain them with long accounts of
Redclyffe； how fine a place it was； how far the estate reached on the
Moorworth road； of its capacities for improvement； wastes of moorland
to be enclosed or planted； magnificent timber needing nothing but
thinning。 He spoke of the number of tenantry； and the manorial rights；
and the influence in both town and county； which； in years gone by； had
been proved to the utmost in many a fierce struggle with the house of
Thorndale。 Sir Guy Morville might be one of the first men in England
if he were not wanting to himself。 Mr。 Edmonstone enjoyed such talk；
for it made him revel in the sense of his own magnanimity in refusing
his daughter to the owner of all this； and Laura sometimes thought how
Philip would have graced such a position； yet how much greater it was
to rest entirely on his own merits。
'Ah； my fine fellow！' muttered Dr。 Mayerne to himself one day； when
Philip and his uncle had left the room； just after a discourse of this
kind； 'I see you have not forgotten you are the next heir。'
Laura coloured with indignation； exclaimed； 'Oh！' then checked
herself； as if such an aspersion was not worthy of her taking the
trouble to refute it。
'Ah！ Miss Edmonstone； I did not know you were there。'
'Yes； you were talking to yourself； just as if you were at home；' said
Charlotte； who was specially pert to the old doctor； because she knew
herself to be a great pet。 'You were telling some home truths to make
Laura angry。'
'Well； he would make a very good use of it if he had it；' said the
doctor。
'Now you'll make me angry；' said Charlotte； 'and you have not mended
matters with Laura。 She thinks nothing short of four…syllabled words
good enough for Philip。'
'Hush！ nonsense； Charlotte！' said Laura； much annoyed。
'There Charlotte； she is avenging herself on you because she can't
scold me' said the doctor； pretending to whisper。
'Charlotte is only growing more wild than ever for want of mamma；' said
Laura； trying to laugh it off； but there was so much annoyance evident
about her； that Dr。 Mayerne said；
'Seriously； I must apologize for my unlucky soliloquy； not that I
thought I was saying much harm； for I did not by any means say or think
the Captain wished Sir Guy any ill； and few men who stood next in
succession to such a property would be likely to forget it。'
'Yes； but Philip is not like other men；' said Charlotte； who； at
fourteen； had caught much of her brother's power of repartee； and could
be quite as provoking； when unrestrained by any one whom she cared to
obey。
Laura felt it was more for her dignity not to notice this； and replied；
with an effort for a laugh；
'It must be your guilty conscience that sets you apologizing； for you
said no harm； as you observe。'
'Yes；' said Dr。 Mayerne； good…humouredly。 'He does very well without
it； and no doubt he would be one of the first men in the country if he
had it； but it is in very good hands now； on the whole。 I don't think；
even if the lad has been tempted into a little folly just now； that he
can ever go very far wrong。'
'No； indeed；' said Charlotte； 'but Charlie and I don't believe he has
done anything wrong。'
She spoke in a little surly decided tone； as if her opinion put an end
to the matter； and Philip's return closed the discussion。
Divided as the party were between up…stairs and down…stairs； and in the
absence of Charles's shrewd observation； Philip and Laura had more
opportunity of intercourse than usual； and now that his departure would
put an end to suspicion； they ventured on more openly seeking each
other。 It never could be the perfect freedom that they had enjoyed
before the avowal of their sentiments； but they had many brief
conversations； giving Laura feverish； but exquisite； delight at each
renewal of his rare expressions of tenderness。
'What are you going to do to…day？' he asked； on the last morning before
he was to leave Hollywell。 'I must see you alone before I go。'
She looked down； and he kept his eyes fixed on her rather sternly； for
he had never before made a clandestine appointment； and he did not like
feeling ashamed of it。 At last she said；
'I go to East…hill School this afternoon。 I shall come away at half…
past three。'
Mary Ross was still absent； her six nephews and nieces having taken
advantage of her visit to have the measles； not like reasonable
children； all at once； so as to be one troub