‘Then who has, dearest?’

’Nobody except papa and mamma; and they have chosen to leave me to myself.’

Mrs Trevelyan found it impossible to shake her sister’s firmness, and could herself do nothing, except tell Mrs Outhouse what was the state of affairs.  When she said that she should do this, there almost came to be a flow of high words between the sisters; but at last Nora assented.  ’As for knowing, I don’t care if all the world knows it.  I shall do nothing in a corner.  I don’t suppose Aunt Mary will endeavour to prevent my posting my letter.’

Emily at last went to seek Mrs Outhouse, and Nora at once sat down to her desk.  Neither of the sisters felt at all sure that Mrs Outhouse would not attempt to stop the emission of the letter from her house; but, as it happened, she was out, and did not return till Nora had come back from her journey to the neighbouring post-office.  She would trust her letter, when written, to no hands but her own; and as she herself dropped it into the safe custody of the Postmaster-General, it also shall be revealed to the public: 

’Parsonage, St Diddulph’s, January, 186-.

Dear Hugh,

For I suppose I may as well write to you in that way now.  I have been made so happy by your affectionate letter.  Is not that a candid confession for a young lady?  But you tell me that I owe you the truth, and so I tell you the truth.  Nobody will ever be anything to me, except you; and you are everything.  I do love you; and should it ever be possible, I will become your wife.

I have said so much, because I feel that I ought to obey the order you have given me; but pray do not try to see me or write to me till mamma has arrived.  She and papa will be here in the spring, quite early in the spring, we hope; and then you may come to us.  What they may say, of course, I cannot tell; but I shall be true to you.

Your own, with truest affection,

Nora.

Of course, you knew that I loved you, and I don’t think that you are a conjuror at all.’

As soon as ever the letter was written, she put on her bonnet, and went forth with it herself to the post-office.  Mrs Trevelyan stopped her on the stairs, and endeavoured to detain her, but Nora would not be detained.  ‘I must judge for myself about this,’ she said.  ’If mamma were here, it would be different, but, as she is not here, I must judge for myself.’

What Mrs Outhouse might have done had she been at home at the time, it would be useless to surmise.  She was told what had happened when it occurred, and questioned Nora on the subject.  ’I thought I understood from you,’ she said, with something of severity in her countenance, ’that there was to be nothing between you and Mr Stanbury at any rate, till my brother came home?’

‘I never pledged myself to anything of the kind, Aunt Mary,’ Nora said.  ’I think he promised that he would not come here, and I don’t suppose that he means to come.  If he should do so, I shall not see him.’