Charles had been
ill, and Guy at Redclyffe, was no real answer; and finding she should
not be told, she wisely held her tongue. Again she made an awkward
inquiry--

'Now tell me, is Captain Morville pleased about this or not?'

Laura would have been silent, trusting to Eveleen's propensity for
talking, for bringing her to some speech that it might be easier to
answer, but Charlotte exclaimed, 'What has he been saying about it?'

'Saying? O nothing. But why does not he come?'

'You have seen him more lately than we have,' said Laura.

'That is an evasion,' said Eveleen; 'as if you did not know more of his
mind than I could ever get at, if I saw him every day of my life.'

'He is provoking, that is all,' answered Charlotte. 'I am sure we don't
want him; but Laura and Guy will both of them take his part.'

A call came at that moment,--the box of white gloves was come, and Laura
must come and count them. She would fain have taken Charlotte with her;
but neither Charlotte nor Eveleen appeared disposed to move, and she
was obliged to leave them. Eva had already guessed that there was more
chance of hearing the facts from Charlotte, and presently she knew a
good deal. Charlotte had some prudence, but she thought she might
tell her own cousin what half the neighbourhood knew--that Philip had
suspected Guy falsely, and had made papa very angry with him, that the
engagement had been broken off, and Guy had been banished, while all the
time he was behaving most gloriously. Now it was all explained; but
in spite of the fullest certainty, Philip would not be convinced, and
wanted them to have waited five years.

Eveleen agreed with Charlotte that this was a great deal too bad,
admired Guy, and pitied Amy to her heart's content.

'So, he was banished, regularly banished!' said she. 'However of course
Amy never gave him up.'

'Oh, she never mistrusted him one minute.'

'And while he had her fast, it was little he would care for the rest.'

'Yes, if he had known it, but she could not tell him.'

Eveleen looked arch.

'But I am sure she did not,' said Charlotte, rather angrily.

'You know nothing about it, my dear.'

'Yes, but I do; for mamma said to Charlie how beautifully she did
behave, and he too,--never attempting any intercourse.'

'Very good of you to believe it.'

'I am sure of it, certain sure,' said Charlotte. 'How could you venture
to think they would either of them do anything wrong?'

'I did not say