“Oh, we have been having no end of a time at home. Father has been speaking of selling the place and leaving Southwick.” “Speaking of selling the place and leaving Southwick! And where does he think of going to live, and what is the reason of this?” “Oh, the reason! I suppose he would say I was the reason; and where heis going to live, that is not settled yet--probably one of the big London hotels. He says everybody is laughing at him, and that when he meets the young men at the station he can see them laughing at him over their newspapers, for, according to father, they have all flirted with us. Maggie has been saying all kinds of things against me, and I am afraid that the Southdown Road people have been writing him anonymous letters again. Some one--I don't know who it is--I wish I did--has been telling him the most shocking things about Jimmy Meason and me; things in which I assure you there is not a word of truth. You know yourself that we have hardly spoken for nearly two years; last year, it is true, we made it up a bit in your studio, but it didn't last long. I don't think I saw him twice afterwards, and never alone--and now to have everything that happened two years ago raked up and thrown in my face! I don't say I haven't--I don't know what you'd call it, I suppose you'd call it spooning. I admit I infinitely preferred walking about the garden with a young man to sitting in the drawing-room and doing woolwork. I was a silly little fool then, but I do think it hard that all this should be raked up now. I don't know what will happen. Maggie pretends to be frightened at me; 'tis only her nonsense to set father against me. She won't dress herself, and she walks about with her hair down her back, wringing her hands.” “But what does she say? This is very bewildering. I don't understand--I am quite lost.”