Edgar was still at the door, and came forward to offer her his hand.
'Pray take care of Eugenia,' she cried, abruptly passing him, and
darting, unaided, into the chaise. Edgar, astonished, obeyed, and gave
his more welcome assistance to Eugenia; but when both were seated,
said--'Where shall I tell the postillion to drive?'
Camilla, who was pulling one of the green blinds up, and again letting
it down, twenty times in a minute, affected not to hear him; but Eugenia
answered, 'to the Grove, to Mrs. Arlbery's.'
The postillion had already received his orders from Miss Margland, and
drove off; leaving Edgar mute with surprise, disappointment and
mortification.
Miss Margland was just behind him, and conceived this the fortunate
instant for eradicating from his mind every favourable pre-possession
for Camilla; assuming, therefore, an air of concern, she said--'So, you
have found Miss Camilla out, in spite of all her precautions! she would
fain not have had you know her frolic.'
'Not know it! has there, then, been any plan? did Miss Camilla
intend----'
'O, she intends nothing in the world for two minutes together! only she
did not like you should find out her fickleness. You know, I told you,
before, she was all whim; and so you will find. You may always take my
opinion, be assured. Miss Lynmere is the only one among them that is
always the same, always good, always amiable.'
'And is not Miss----' he was going to say Camilla, but checking himself,
finished with--'Miss Eugenia, at least, always equal, always
consistent?'
'Why, she is better than Miss Camilla; but not one among them has any
steadiness, or real sweetness, but Miss Lynmere. As to Miss Camilla, if
she has not her own way, there's no enduring her, she frets, and is so
cross. When you put her off, in that friendly manner, from gadding after
a new acquaintance so improper for her, you set her into such an ill
humour, that she has done nothing but cry, as you may have seen by her
eyes, and worry herself and all of us round, except you, ever since; but
she was afraid of you, for fear you should take her to task, which she
hates of all things.'
Half incredulous, yet half shocked, Edgar turned from this harangue in
silent disgust. He knew the splenetic nature of Miss Margland, and
trusted she might be wrong; but he knew, too, her opportunities for
observation, and dreaded lest she might be right. Camilla had been
certainly low spirited, weeping, and restless; was it possible it could
be for so slight, so unmeaning a cause? His wish was to follow her on
horseback; but this, unauthorized, might betray too much anxiety: he
tried not to think of what had been said by Dr. Marchmont, while this
cloud hung over her disposition and sincerity; for whatever might be
the malignity of Miss Margland, the breach of a promise, of which the
voluntary sweetness had so lately proved his final captivation, could
not be doubted, and called aloud for explanation.