e was used to them and made no complaint.

When she left her father for the night she got out her desk and
prepared herself for her letter to her lover. She was determined
that it should be finished that night before she went to bed. And it
was so finished; though the writing of it gave her much labour, and
occupied her till the late hours had come upon her. When completed it
was as follows:--

Belton Castle, Thursday Night.

DEAR FREDERIC,--I received your letter last Sunday,
but I could not answer it sooner, as it required much
consideration, and also some information which I have only
obtained to-day. About the plan of living at Perivale I
will not say much now, as my mind is so full of other
things. I think, however, I may promise that I will never
make any needless difficulty as to your plans. My cousin
Will left us on Monday, so your mother need not have any
further anxiety on that head. It does papa good to have
him here, and for that reason I am sorry that he has gone.
I can assure you that I don't think what you said about
him meant anything at all particular. Will is my nearest
cousin, and of course you would be glad that I should like
him,--which I do, very much.

And now about the other subject, which I own has
distressed me, as you supposed it would;--I mean about
Mrs. Askerton. I find it very difficult in your letter to
divide what comes from your mother and what from yourself.
Of course I want to make the division, as every word from
you has great weight with me. At present I don't know Lady
Aylmer personally, and I cannot think of her as I do of
you. Indeed, were I to know her ever so well, I could not
have the same deference for her that I have for the man
who is to be my husband. I only say this, as I fear that
Lady Aylmer and I may not perhaps agree about Mrs.
Askerton.

I find that your story about Mrs. Askerton is in the main
true. But the person who told it you does not seem to have
known any of the provocations which she received. She
was very badly treated by Captain Berdmore, who, I am
afraid, was a terrible drunkard; and at last she found it
impossible to stay with him. So she went away. I cannot
tell you how horrid it all was, but I am sure that if I
could make you understand it, it would go a long way in
inducing you to excuse her. She was married to Colonel
Askerton as