Mr. Fielder, the tutor. It appeared that they had
been secretly engaged for some weeks, ever since they had perceived
Mr. Thorndale's intentions, and not, as it was in poor Laura's case,
an unavowed attachment, but an absolute engagement. And fancy Eva
justifying it by Laura's example! There was of course great anger and
confusion. Lord Kilcoran was furious, poor Lady Kilcoran had nervous
attacks, the gentleman was dismissed from the house, and supposed to be
gone to England, Eva shed abundance of tears, but after a great deal of
vehemence she appeared subdued and submissive. We were all very sorry
for her, as there is much that is very agreeable and likely to attract
her in Mr. Fielder, and she always had too much mind to be wasted in
such a life as she leads here. It seemed as if Laura was a comfort
to her, and Lady Kilcoran was very anxious we should stay as long
as possible. This was all about three weeks or a month ago; Eva was
recovering her spirits, and I was just beginning a letter to tell you we
hoped to be at home in another week, when Charlotte came into my room in
great distress to tell me that Eveleen and Mr. Fielder were on the verge
of a run-away marriage. Charlotte had been coming back alone from a
visit to grandmamma, and going down a path out of the direct way to
recall Bustle, who had run on, she said, as if he scented mischief,
came, to her great astonishment, on Eveleen walking arm-in-arm with Mr.
Fielder! Charlie will fancy how Charlotte looked at them! They shuffled,
and tried to explain it away, but Charlotte was too acute for them, or
rather, she held steadily to "be that as it may, Lord Kilcoran ought
to know it." They tried to frighten her with the horrors of betraying
secrets, but she said none had been confided to her, and mamma would
judge. They tried to persuade her it was the way of all lovers, and
appealed to Laura s example, but there little Charlotte was less to be
shaken than on any point. "I did not think them worthy to hear their
names," she said to me, "but I told them, that I had seen that the
truest and deepest of love had a horror of all that was like wrong,
and as to Philip and Laura, they little knew what they had suffered;
besides, theirs was not half so bad." I verily believe these were the
very words she used to them. At last Eva threw herself on her mercy,
and begged so vehemently that she would only wait another day, that she
suspected, and, with sharpness very like Charlie