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'Yes； ma'am； Jane told me so； and I went to look myself。 Poor child；
she is half distracted about Master Philip； and no wonder； for they
were always together； but I thought you ought to know； ma'am； for she
will make herself ill； to a certainty。'
'I am going to see about her this moment； nurse；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone；
and presently she found Laura wandering up and down the shady walk； in
the restlessness of her despair。
'Laura； dearest；' said she； putting her arm round her； 'I cannot bear
to see you so unhappy。'
Laura did not answer； for though solitude was oppressive； every one's
presence was a burthen。
'I cannot think it right to give way thus；' continued her mother。 'Did
you really sit up all night； my poor child？'
'I don't know。 They did so with him！'
'My dear； this will never do。 You are making yourself seriously
unwell。'
'I wishI wish I was ill； I wish I was dying！' broke from Laura；
almost unconsciously； in a hoarse； inward voice。
'My dear！ You don't know what you are saying。 You forget that this
self…abandonment； and extravagant grief would be wrong in any one； and；
if nothing else； the display is unbecoming in you。'
Laura's over…wrought feelings could bear no more； and in a tone which；
though too vehement to be addressed to a parent； had in it an agony
which almost excused it； by showing how unable she was to restrain
herself； she broke forth： 'Unbecoming！ Who has a right to grieve for
him but me？his own； his chosen；the only one who can love him； or
understand him。 Her voice died away in a sob； though without tears。
Her mother heard the words； but did not take in their full meaning；
and； believing that Laura's undeveloped affection had led her to this
uncontrolled grief； she spoke again； with coldness； intended to rouse
her to a sense that she was compromising her womanly dignity。
'Take care； Laura； a woman has no right to speak in such a manner of a
man who has given her no reason to believe in his preference of her。'
'Preference！ It is his love！his love！ His whole heart！ The one
thing that was precious to me in this world！ Preference！ You little
guess what we have felt for each other！'
'Laura！' Mrs。 Edmonstone stood still； overpowered。 'What do you
mean？' She could not put the question more plainly。
'What have I done？' cried Laura。 'I have betrayed him！' she answered
herself in a tone of despair； as she hid her face in her hands；
'betrayed him when he is dying！'
Her mother was too much shocked to speak in the soft reluctant manner
in which she was wont to reprove。
'Laura；' said she； 'I must understand this。 What has passed between
you and Philip？'
Laura only replied by a flood of tears； ungovernable from the
exhaustion of sleeplessness and want of food。 Mrs。 Edmonstone's
kindness returned； she soothed her； begged her to control herself； and
at length brought her into the house； and up to the dressing…room；
where she sank on the sofa； weeping violently。 It was the reaction of
the long restraint she had been exercising on herself； and the silence
she had been maintaining。 She was not feeling the humiliation； her own
acknowledgement of disobedience； but of the horror of being forced to
reveal the secret he had left in her charge。
Long did she weep； breaking out more piteously at each attempt of her
mother to lead her to explain。 Poor Mrs。 Edmonstone was alarmed and
perplexed beyond measure； this half confession had so overthrown all
her ideas that she was ready to apprehend everything most improbable；
and almost expected to hear of a private marriage。 Her presence seemed
only to make Laura worse； and at length she said；'I shall leave you
for half an hour； in hopes that by that time you may have recovered
yourself； and be able to give the explanation which I _require_。'
She went into her own room； and waited； with her eyes on her watch； a
prey to every strange alarm and anticipation； grievously hurt at this
want of confidence； and wounded； where she least expected it； by both
daughter and nephew。 She thought； guessed； recollected； wondered；
tormented herself； and at the last of the thirty minutes； hastily
opened the door into the dressing…room。 Laura sat as before； crouched
up in the corner of the wide sofa； and when she raised her face； at her
mother's entrance； it was bewildered rather than embarrassed。
'Well； Laura？' She waited unanswered； and the wretchedness of the look
so touched her； that； kissing her； she said； 'Surely； my dear； you need
not be afraid to tell me anything？'
Laura did not respond to the kindness； but asked； looking perplexed；
'What have I said？ Have I told it？'
'What you have given me reason to believe；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone；
trying to bring herself to speak it explicitly； 'that you think Philip
is attached to you。 You do not deny it。 Let me know on what terms you
stand。'
Without looking up； she murmured； 'If you would not force it from me at
such a time。'
'Laura； it is for your own good。 You are wretched now； my poor child；
why not relieve yourself by telling all？ If you have not acted openly；
can you have any comfort till you have confessed？ It may be a painful
effort； but relief will come afterwards。'
'I have nothing to confess；' said Laura。 'There is no such thing as
you think。'
'No engagement？'
'No。'
'Then what am I to understand by your exclamations？'
'It is no engagement；' repeated Laura。 'He would never have asked that
without papa's consent。 We are only bound by our own hearts。'
'And you have a secret understanding with him？'
'We have never written to each other； we have never dreamed of any
intercourse that could be called clandestine。 He would scorn it。 He
waited only for his promotion to declare it to papa。'
'And how long has it been declared to you？'
'Ever since the first summer Guy was here。'
'Three years！' exclaimed her mother。 'You have kept this from me three
years！ 0 Laura！'
'It was of no use to speak！' said Laura； faintly。
If she had looked up； she would have seen those words； 'no use；' cut
her mother more deeply than all； but there was only coldness in the
tone of the answer； 'No use to inform your parents； before you pledged
your affections！'
'Indeed； mamma；' said Laura； 'I was sure that you knew his worth。'
'Worth！ when he was teaching you to live in a course of insincerity？
Your father will be deeply hurt。'
'Papa！ Oh； you must not tell him！ Now； I have betrayed him； indeed！
Oh； my weakness！' and another paroxysm of tears came on。
'Laura； you seem to think you owe nothing to any one but Philip。 You
forget you are a daughter！ that you have been keeping up a system of
disobedience and concealment； of which I could not have believed a
child of mine could be capable。 0 L