"I long ago gave up the hope of ever again being as young as you are,"she returned sadly."Oh!"with a rare and piteous burst of feeling,"if dear papa could have stayed with us,and we could have had a right somewhere!"Mrs.Evringham threw her arms about the young creature,welcoming the softened mood."You know I took you right to my own people,Eloise,"she said gently."We stayed as long as I thought was right;they couldn't afford to keep us."A sound at the door caused her to turn.
The erect form of her father-in-law had just entered the room.
"Ah,good evening,father,"she said in tones whose sadness was not altogether feigned,even though she secretly rejoiced that Eloise should for once show such opportune emotion."Pardon this little girl.
She was just feeling overwhelmed with a pang of homesickness for her father.""Indeed!"returned Mr.Evringham."Will you walk out?Mrs.Forbes tells me that dinner is served."Eloise,hastily drawing her handkerchief across her eyes,passed the unbending figure,her cheeks stinging.His hard voice was in her ears.
That she was not his son's child hurt her now as often before in the past two months,but that he should have discovered her weeping at a moment when he might have been expected to enter was a keen hurt to her pride,and her heart swelled with a suspicion of his unspoken thoughts.She had never been effusive,she had never posed.He had no right to suspect her.