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feeling。'
'How very sad for him to be left alone there！' said Mrs。 Edmonstone。
'Very sadvery；' said her husband。 'I must start off to him at once
yes； at once。 Should you not say soeh； Philip？'
'Certainly。 I think I had better go with you。 It would be the correct
thing； and I should not like to fail in any token of respect for poor
old Sir Guy。'
'Of courseof course；' said Mr。 Edmonstone； 'it would be the correct
thing。 I am sure he was always very civil to us； and you are next heir
after this boy。'
Little Charlotte made a sort of jump； lifted her eyebrows； and stared
at Amabel。
Philip answered。 'That is not worth a thought； but since he and I are
now the only representatives of the two branches of the house of
Morville； it shall not be my fault if the enmity is not forgotten。'
'Buried in oblivion would sound more magnanimous；' said Charles； at
which Amabel laughed so uncontrollably； that she was forced to hide her
head on her little sister's shoulder。 Charlotte laughed too； an
imprudent proceeding； as it attracted attention。 Her father smiled；
saying； half…reprovingly'So you are there； inquisitive pussy…cat？'
And at her mother's question；'Charlotte； what business have you
here？' She stole back to her lessons； looking very small； without the
satisfaction of hearing her mother's compassionate words'Poor child！'
'How old is he？' asked Mr。 Edmonstone； returning to the former subject。
'He is of the same age as Lauraseventeen and a half；' answered Mrs。
Edmonstone。 'Don't you remember my brother saying what a satisfaction
it was to see such a noble baby as she was； after such a poor little
miserable thing as the one at Redclyffe？'
'He is grown into a fine spirited fellow；' said Philip。
'I suppose we must have him here；' said Mr。 Edmonstone。 Should you not
say soeh； Philip？'
'Certainly； I should think it very good for him。 Indeed； his
grandfather's death has happened at a most favourable time for him。
The poor old man had such a dread of his going wrong that he kept
him'
'I knowas tight as a drum。'
'With strictness that I should think very bad for a boy of his
impatient temper。 It would have been a very dangerous experiment to
send him at once among the temptations of Oxford； after such discipline
and solitude as he has been used to。'
'Don't talk of it；' interrupted Mr。 Edmonstone； spreading out his hands
in a deprecating manner。 'We must do the best we can with him； for I
have got him on my hands till he is five…and…twentyhis grandfather
has tied him up till then。 If we can keep him out of mischief； well
and good； if not； it can't be helped。'
'You have him all to yourself；' said Charles。
'Ay； to my sorrow。 If your poor father was alive； Philip； I should be
free of all care。 I've a pretty deal on my hands；' he proceeded；
looking more important than troubled。 'All that great Redclyffe estate
is no sinecure； to say nothing of the youth himself。 If all the world
will come to me； I can't help it。 I must go and speak to the men； if I
am to be off to Redclyffe tomorrow。 Will you come； Philip？'
'I must go back soon； thank you；' replied Philip。 'I must see about my
leave； only we should first settle when to set off。'
This arranged； Mr。 Edmonstone hurried away； and Charles began by
saying； 'Isn't there a ghost at Redclyffe？'
'So it is said；' answered his cousin； 'though I don't think it is
certain whose it is。 There is a room called Sir Hugh's Chamber； over
the gateway； but the honour of naming it is undecided between Hugo de
Morville； who murdered Thomas a Becket； and his namesake； the first
Baronet； who lived in the time of William of Orange； when the quarrel
began with our branch of the family。 Do you know the history of it；
aunt？'
'It was about some property；' said Mrs Edmonstone； 'though I don't know
the rights of it。 But the Morvilles were always a fiery； violent race；
and the enmity once begun between Sir Hugh and his brother； was kept
up； generation after generation； in a most unjustifiable way。 Even I
can remember when the Morvilles of Redclyffe used to be spoken of in
our family like a sort of ogres。'
'Not undeservedly； I should think；' said Philip。 'This poor old man；
who is just dead； ran a strange career。 Stories of his duels and mad
freaks are still extant。'
'Poor man！ I believe he went all lengths；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone。
'What was the true version of that horrible story about his son？' said
Philip。 'Did he strike him？'
'Oh； no！ it was bad enough without that。'
'How？' asked Laura。
'He was an only child； and lost his mother early。 He was very ill
brought up； and was as impetuous and violent as Sir Guy himself； though
with much kindliness and generosity。 He was only nineteen when he made
a runaway marriage with a girl of sixteen； the sister of a violin
player； who was at that time in fashion。 His father was very much
offended； and there was much dreadfully violent conduct on each side。
At last； the young man was driven to seek a reconciliation。 He brought
his wife to Moorworth； and rode to Redclyffe； to have an interview with
his father。 Unhappily； Sir Guy was giving a dinner to the hunt； and
had been drinking。 He not only refused to see him； but I am afraid he
used shocking language； and said something about bidding him go back to
his fiddling brother in…law。 The son was waiting in the hall； heard
everything； threw himself on his horse； and rushed away in the dark。
His forehead struck against the branch of a tree； and he was killed on
the spot。'
'The poor wife？' asked Amabel； shuddering。
'She died the next day； when this boy was born。'
'Frightful！' said Philip。 'It might well make a reformation in old Sir
Guy。'
'I have heard that nothing could be more awful than the stillness that
fell on that wretched party； even before they knew what had happened
before Colonel Harewood； who had been called aside by the servants；
could resolve to come and fetch away the father。 No wonder Sir Guy was
a changed man from that hour。'
'It was then that he sent for my father；' said Philip。
'But what made him think of doing so？'
'You know Colonel Harewood's house at Stylehurst？ Many years ago； when
the St。 Mildred's races used to be so much more in fashion； Sir Guy and
Colonel Harewood； and some men of that stamp； took that house amongst
them； and used to spend some time there every year； to attend to
something about the training of the horses。 There were some
malpractices of their servants； that did so much harm in the parish；
that my brother was obliged to remonstrate。 Sir Guy was very angry at
first； but behaved better at last than any of the others。 I suspect he
was struck by my dear brother's bold； uncompromising ways； for he took
to him to a certain degreeand