All of this upheaval was very bewildering to Rosalie. She never understood it properly. At the beginning it had nothing at all to do with Anna, and yet Anna from the very first reading of Uncle Tom’s letter--All that Rosalie understood of it was this. First the letter came. Tremendous excitement! Father in wild excitement, Flora and Hilda in frantic excitement, everyone in highest excitement. Father read the letter aloud at breakfast to Rosalie’s mother and to the girls. Such a splendid letter, said father. Really, Tom was a splendid fellow, said father. He had wronged Tom. He had thought Tom selfish in his wealthy indifference. By Jove, Tom wasn’t. “By Jove, the way Tom wrote almost brought tears to your eyes. Listen to this. Listen, mother. Listen, you girls.” Uncle Tom, said the letter, would by all means, old man, have one of the girls. He’d no idea that things were so bad with you. Poor old man! Why didn’t you tell us before? He was sending home a small draft to Field and Company, his bankers, to help towards the girl’s outfit and her passage money. “‘Which girl shall you send?’ you ask. Well, it’s no good asking us, old man. You must decide that for yourselves. She’ll be abundantly welcome, whichever it is, and we can promise her a jolly good time. We are at Simla most of the year. If you want my advice which girl to send, send the pretti--” Father stopped reading. Rosalie was staring at Anna. Anna’s face, which had been pale, suddenly went crimson. The suddenness and the violence of it was extraordinary. One moment she had been pale. In the next, she was burning red. It was exactly as if a crimson paint had suddenly been dashed over the whole of her face. It was extraordinary. Whatever was it? That nose of hers, perhaps? a sudden frightful twinge like Rosalie once had had a sudden most awful jump in a tooth? But Anna didn’t say anything and no one but Rosalie seemed to notice it. They were all intent upon father. So intent! Flora’s eyes were simply shining! And Flora’s eyes soon after that were shining more than ever. She was wild with excitement. Rosalie heard the news just before tea. Flora was going to India to Uncle Tom!