Many days had now passed away since Mr Primrose had left Neverden and Smatterton, and since Robert Darnley had expressed his resolution to make prompt inquiry into the cause of the interruption of the correspondence between Penelope and himself. There had arrived no intelligence from the young gentleman: but Mr Primrose began now to think that he himself had not done right in listening and yielding to the delicate scruples of his daughter. The father of Penelope was of that complexion of mind that, under similar circumstances, he would have thanked any one for removing any misunderstanding, even had it been the lady herself. He knew that Robert Darnley had not been the wilful cause of breaking off the correspondence, and he knew also that his own daughter had not neglected to answer the letters which she had received. He knew that the parties were attached to each other, and he had learned from Penelope herself that there was no foundation for the story of her attachment to Lord Spoonbill. Now what should prevent him from writing to Neverden to inform the young gentleman of this fact? He thought that it would be an act of kindness to both parties. Nevertheless, it should be observed, that Mr Primrose was not one of those terribly kind people who force their kindness upon one, whether we like it or not, as the man who beat his wife and said, "It is all for your good, my dear." When therefore he was fully satisfied that it would be but an act of kindness to his daughter to remove the mystery from the mind of Robert Darnley, he did not take this step without first consulting her for whose benefit such step was to be taken. At breakfast he said to Penelope: "So, my dear, my excursion into the City was to no purpose last night. I find that I must make an earlier visit, and therefore I shall go again to-day. I hope and trust I may find matters not quite so bad as I first anticipated. And I think that you need not be in a very great hurry to engage in this profession. I cannot say I like patronage. But why should not we take some steps to let Robert Darnley know that the breaking off the correspondence was not your act? I think I ought to write to him. Indeed I almost promised that I would. Very likely he may be waiting till he hears from me." "My dear father," exclaimed Penelope, "you surely would not think of such a step as that. It would be exceedingly indelicate, and might expose me to contempt. Mr Darnley knows that I am in London, and if he were at all disposed to renew the correspondence, or to have an explanation of the cause of its interruption, he would either have written or have made his appearance in town. Knowing that I was at Lord Smatterton's, it was no difficult matter to write to me; for the letter would be sure to find me, if directed under cover to his lordship." "But, my dear child," interrupted Mr Primrose, "I think he expects to hear from me; for I recollect now having said something to that effect."