“And what about Cara?” she asked abruptly. “You must leave the child here. I suppose Blagdon would hardly ill-treat an infant of that age; and no doubt his sister would receive her. Perhaps you might be allowed to keep her? I don’t know much about these sort of things. I only know, that I want you to break your bonds, and get a new start in life. Why you are barely twenty!--think of the fifty years that lie before you,--and have pity upon yourself!” “To escape from Hugo--never to see him again--never to hear his voice, to meet his eyes, would be, oh, such overwhelming joy--such a relief! You cannot think how much I am afraid of him; sometimes he is like a lunatic, and I am terrified to be with him alone; and yet what can I do? How can _anyone_ come between us--I am his wife.” “_I_ will come between you,” said the young man resolutely, “that is, if you care for me, Letty?” “Yes I do; I’ve always cared,” she answered, in a tremulous voice. “But think of your father and Frances, my greatest friend, and Maudie Hesketh, and little Cara, to have a mother who ran away--and oh, imagine what all the people around would say!” “The people around would say, that they were astonished that you didn’t make your escape years ago. Cara is but an infant, she will have her _own_ life, she is the daughter of a rich man; you are not called upon to sacrifice the whole of your existence to her; _you_ have a right to live, as much as she has! Mrs. Fenchurch will be shocked--that I grant you--but that Maudie Hesketh and my sister will forgive you--I guarantee.” “No, no, no, I never could do it--I beseech you not to tempt me!” then without another word, she suddenly turned into a side path, and actually ran away. But although Letty had evaded him on this occasion Lancelot Lumley would not relinquish his intention; he knew what he was doing; he took into consideration all the scandal, the talk, and the injury that it would cause him in his profession. On the other hand, he thought of Letty: they would be so happy together, and ultimately they would live it down! He wrote her a clear, urgent, and impassioned letter, putting everything plainly before her, and imploring her to leave home. “For six months after the divorce you could live in some quiet seaside or country place, or in Switzerland. I have ample money to provide for this. I will of course not see you, and I shall apply for an exchange to a battalion in India; when the decree nisi is pronounced, all our troubles will be over, and like the people in the fairy tale, we shall live happy ever after.”