“Brandon beeches,

“Tuesday.

“Dear Papa:  Considering that it is more than three years since you paid Madame Smith last, and that then her bill, which included my court dress, was only L150, I cannot see how I could possibly have been more economical, unless you expect me to go in rags.  I am sorry that Madame Smith has asked for the money at such an inconvenient time, but when I begged you to pay her something in March last year you told me to keep her quiet by giving her a good order.  I am not surprised at her not being very civil, as she has plenty of tradesmen’s daughters among her customers who pay her more than L300 a year for their dresses.  I am wearing a skirt at present which I got two years ago.

“Sir Charles is going to town on Thursday; he will bring you the hemlock.  Tell mamma that there is an old woman here who knows some wonderful cure for sore eyes.  She will not tell what the ingredients are, but it cures everyone, and there is no use in giving an oculist two guineas for telling us that reading in bed is bad for the eyes, when we know perfectly well that mamma will not give up doing it.  If you pay Berkeley’s debts, do not forget that he owes me L3.

“Another schoolfellow of mine is staying here now, and I think that Mr. Trefusis will have the pleasure of paying her bills some day.  He is a great pet of Lady Brandon’s.  Sir Charles was angry at first because she invited him here, and we were all surprised at it.  The man has a bad reputation, and headed a mob that threw down the walls of the park; and we hardly thought he would be cool enough to come after that.  But he does not seem to care whether we want him or not; and he comes when he likes.  As he talks cleverly, we find him a godsend in this dull place.  It is really not such a paradise as you seem to think, but you need not be afraid of my returning any sooner than I can help.

“Your affectionate daughter,

“Gertrude Lindsay.”

When Gertrude had closed this letter, and torn up her father’s, she thought little more about either.  They might have made her unhappy had they found her happy, but as hopeless discontent was her normal state, and enjoyment but a rare accident, recriminatory passages with her father only put her into a bad humor, and did not in the least disappoint or humiliate her.

For the sake of exercise, she resolved to carry her letter to the village post office and return along the Riverside Road, whereby she had seen hemlock growing.  She took care to go out unobserved, lest Agatha should volunteer to walk with her, or Jane declare her intention of driving to the post office in the afternoon, and sulk for the rest of the day unless the trip to the village were postponed until then.  She took with her, as a protection against tramps, a big St. Bernard dog named Max.  This animal, which was young and enthusiastic, had taken a strong fancy to her, and had expressed it frankly and boisterously; and she, whose affections had been starved in her home and in society, had encouraged him with more kindness than she had ever shown to any human being.