‘She must mean you to go back to her,’ said Mrs Stanbury.

‘No doubt she does,’ said Priscilla; ’but Dolly need not go because my aunt means it.  We are not her creatures.’

But Dorothy answered her aunt’s letter in the spirit in which it had been written.  She asked after her aunt’s health, thanked her aunt for the gift of the books in each of which her name had been clearly written, protested about the shawl, sent her love to Martha and her kind regards to Jane, and expressed a hope that C. F. enjoyed her new clothes.  She described the cottage, and was funny about the cabbage stumps in the garden, and at last succeeded in concocting a long epistle.  ‘I suppose there will he a regular correspondence,’ said Priscilla.

Two days afterwards, however, the correspondence took altogether another form.  The cottage in which they now lived was supposed to be beyond the beat of the wooden-legged postman, and therefore it was necessary that they should call at the post-office for their letters.  On the morning in question Priscilla obtained a thick letter from Exeter for her mother, and knew that it had come from her aunt.  Her aunt could hardly have found it necessary to correspond with Dorothy’s mother so soon after that letter to Dorothy had been written had there not arisen some very peculiar cause.  Priscilla, after much meditation, thought it better that the letter should be opened in Dorothy’s absence, and in Dorothy’s absence the following letter was read both by Priscilla and her mother.

’The Close, March 19, 186-.

Dear sister Stanbury,

After much consideration, I think it best to send under cover to you the enclosed letter from Mr Brooke Burgess, intended for your daughter Dorothy.  You will see that I have opened it and read it as I was clearly entitled to do, the letter having been addressed to my niece while she was supposed to be under my care.  I do not like to destroy the letter, though, perhaps, that would be best; but I would advise you to do so, if it be possible, without shewing it to Dorothy.  I have told Mr Brooke Burgess what I have done.

I have also told him that I cannot sanction a marriage between him and your daughter.  There are many reasons of old date, not to speak of present reasons, also, which would make such a marriage highly inexpedient.  Mr Brooke Burgess is, of course, his own master, but your daughter understands completely how the matter stands.

Yours truly,

Jemima Stanbury.’

‘What a wicked old woman!’ said Priscilla.  Then there arose a question whether they should read Brooke’s letter, or whether they should give it unread to Dorothy.  Priscilla denounced her aunt in the strongest language she could use for having broken the seal.  “Clearly entitled,” because Dorothy had been living with her!’ exclaimed Priscilla.  ’She can have no proper conception of honour or of honesty.  She had no more right