it came from Major Grantly, but not
a word was spoken about it. When Grace with hesitating hand broke the
envelope, neither of her friends looked at her. Lily had a letter
of her own, and Mrs. Dale opened the newspaper. But still it was
impossible not to perceive that her face became red with blushes,
and then they knew that the letter must be from Major Grantly. Grace
herself could not read it, though her eye ran down over the two pages
catching a word here and a word there. She had looked at the name at
once, and had seen the manner of his signature. "Most affectionately
your own!" What was she to say to him? Twice, thrice, as she sat at
the breakfast-table she turned the page of the letter, and at each
turning she read the signature. And she read the beginning, "Dearest
Grace." More than that she did not really read till she had got the
letter away with her into the seclusion of her own room.

[Illustration: She read the beginning--"Dearest Grace."]

Not a word was said about the letter at breakfast. Poor Grace went on
eating or pretending to eat, but could not bring herself to utter a
word. Mrs. Dale and Lily spoke of various matters, which were quite
indifferent to them; but even with them the conversation was so
difficult that Grace felt it to be forced, and was conscious that
they were thinking about her and her lover. As soon as she could make
an excuse she left the room, and hurrying upstairs took the letter
from her pocket and read it in earnest.

"That was from Major Grantly, mamma," said Lily.

"I daresay it was, my dear."

"And what had we better do; or what had we better say?"

"Nothing,--I should say. Let him fight his own battle. If we
interfere, we may probably only make her more stubborn in clinging to
her old idea."

"I think she will cling to it."

"For a time she will, I daresay. And it will be best that she should.
He himself will respect her for it afterwards." Thus it was agreed
between them that they should say nothing to Grace about the letter
unless Grace should first speak to them.

Grace read her letter over and over again. It was the first
love-letter she had ever had;--the first letter she had ever received
from any man except her father and brother,--the first, almost, that
had ever been written to her by any other than her own old special
friends. The words of it were very strange to her ear. He had told
her when he left her that he would write to her, and therefore she
had