“Your account of Aunt Marcia and Aunt Winifred amused father tremendously.  He thinks, however, that he would like Aunt Marcia better than Aunt Winifred, as he—­and I—­get more anticlerical every year.  But we keep it to ourselves.  Mamma and Alice wouldn’t understand.  Ryde is very full, and mamma and Alice want nothing more than the pier and the sands and the people.  Papa and I take long walks along the coast, or across the island.  We find a cliff to bask on, or a wood that comes down to the water, and then papa gets out a Greek book and translates to me.  Sometimes I listen to the sea, instead of to him, and go to sleep.  But he doesn’t mind.  He is looking better, but work is loading up for him again as soon as we get back to Oxford about a week from now.  If only he could get rid of drudgery, and write his best about the things he loves.  Nobody knows what a mind he has.  He is not only a scholar—­he is a poet.  He could write things as beautiful as Mr. Pater’s, but his life is ground out of him.

“I won’t go on writing this—­it’s no good.

“Herbert Pryce came down yesterday, and has taken mother and Alice out boating to-day.  If he doesn’t mean to propose to Alice, it is very odd he should take the trouble to come here.  But he doesn’t say anything definite; he doesn’t propose; and her face often makes me furious.  His manner to mamma—­and to me—­is often brusque and disagreeable.  It is as though he felt that in marrying Alice—­if he is going to marry her—­he is rather unfairly burdened with the rest of us.  And it is no good shirking the fact that you count for a good deal in the matter.  He was delighted with your message, and if you can help him he will propose to Alice.  Goodness, fancy marrying such a man!

“As to Mr. Falloden, I don’t believe he will ever be anything but hard and tyrannical.  I don’t believe in conversion and change of heart, and that kind of thing.  I don’t—­I don’t!  You are not to be taken in, Connie!  You are not to fall in love with him again out of pity.  If he does lose all his money, and have to work like anybody else, what does it matter?  He was as proud as Lucifer—­let him fall like Lucifer.  You may be sure he won’t fall so very far.  That kind never does.  No, I want him put down.  I want him punished.  He won’t repent—­he can’t repent—­and there was never any one less like a lost sheep in the world.

“After which I think I will say good-night!”

* * * * *

A few days later, Connie, returning from a ramble with one of Lady Winifred’s stray dogs along the banks of the Scarfe, found her two aunts at tea in the garden.

“Sit down, my dear Connie,” said Lady Marcia, with a preoccupied look.  “We have just heard distressing news.  The clergy are such gossips!”

The elevation of Aunt Winifred’s sharp nose showed her annoyance.

“And you, Marcia, are always so dreadfully unfair to them.  You were simply dying for Mr. Latimer to tell you all he knew, and then you abuse him.”