Susan made a momentary pause of shame and distress as her uncle spoke, and then raised her eyes, full of tears and entreaty, to Roger's face. Poor Susan believed that these tears were all about her brother, and would not have acknowledged that a single drop of that gentle rain had relation to the "going away" with which this conversation arose.
Roger, however, could not bear these tears. He put his mother's letter hastily into her hand--would she read it? There was really nothing blaming Mr. Scarsdale, as she would see. And Susan stood shy and tearful, with the paper trembling in her hand--a maidenly, womanly, natural restraint forbidding her to read, while her heart yearned, notwithstanding, towards Roger's mother; while Roger kept looking at her with anxious eyes, as earnest to have her read it as though his fate depended on the issue. Did either of them think of Horace in connection with this letter? or what, between these two young dreamers, trembling on the edge of their romance, was Colonel Sutherland, with very serious thoughts in his mind and matters in his hand, to do? He got up after a few minutes waiting, with good-humoured impatience.
"Boys and girls," said Uncle Edward, "with all their life before them, like you young people, may waste a few hours of it without much harm done; but what I have to do must be done quickly. Make up your mind, Roger, my good friend; but as for me, I am going off to Armitage by the first train. Susan, my love, Mrs. Melrose will stay with you; for this young fellow's interests, you see, must be looked after, whether he wishes it or not--especially, my dear"--and Uncle Edward's kind face grew darker as he made that significant pause.
"Especially if Horace has had any share in it," cried Susan. "Oh, Mr. Musgrave!" and a few tears fell suddenly over Roger's mother's letter. The Colonel at the moment had stepped out of the room to give his instructions to Patchey, and Susan's one sole remaining intention, on which all her mind was fixed, was to rush after him; but that involuntary turn of her head and exclamation of her lips sealed Susan's fate. Roger was not the man to let slip so advantageous a moment--and had things to do of more importance than packing his portmanteau before he left Milnehill.