Very happy did she feel in the hope that had come to crown her efforts
at the very moment when she had actually and tangibly given up a
pleasure, and closed a door opening into worldly life, and she was
walking along with a sense of almost consecrated usefulness, to seek her
companion in the path of maiden devotion, when in passing the gates of
Myrtlewood, she was greeted by Captain Keith and his bright-eyed sister,
just coming forth together.
A few words told that they were all bound for Mackarel Lane, actuated by
the same probability of finding Miss Williams alone, the Colonel being
absent.
"Wonderfully kind to her he is," said Rachel, glad to praise him to
convince herself that she did not feel bitter; "he takes that little
girl out walking with him every morning."
"I wonder if his constancy will ever be rewarded?" said Bessie, lightly;
then, as Rachel looked at her in wonder and almost rebuke for so direct
and impertinent a jest, she exclaimed, "Surely you are not in ignorance!
What have I done? I thought all the world knew--all the inner world,
that is, that revels in a secret."
"Knew what?" said Rachel, unavoidable intolerable colour rushing into
her face.
"Why the romance of Colin and Ermine! To live on the verge of such a--a
tragi-comedy, is it? and not be aware of it, I do pity you."
"The only wonder is how you knew it," said her brother, in a tone of
repression.
"I! Oh, it is a fine thing to be a long-eared little pitcher when one's
elders imagine one hears nothing but what is addressed to oneself. There
I sat, supposed to be at my lessons, when the English letters came in,
and I heard papa communicating to mamma how he had a letter from old
Lord Keith--not this one but one older still--the father of him--about
his son's exchange--wanted papa to know that he was exemplary and all
that, and hoped he would be kind to him, but just insinuated that leave
was not desirable--in fact it was to break off an affair at home. And
then, while I was all on fire to see what a lover looked like, comes
another letter, this time to mamma, from Lady Alison something, who
could not help recommending to her kindness her dear nephew Colin, going
out broken-hearted at what was feared would prove a fatal accident,
to the dearest, noblest girl in the world, for so she must call Ermine
Williams. Ermine was a name to stick in one's memory if Williams was
not, and so I assumed sufficient certainty to draw it all out of dear
Lady Temple."
"She knows then?" said Rachel, breathlessly, but on her guard.
"Know? Yes, or she could hardly make such a brother of the Colonel. In
fact, I think it is a bit of treachery to us all to keep such an affair
concealed, don't you?" with a vivid flash out of the corner of her eyes.