is hardly
able to talk to any one. Sir Gregory never mentions the
subject to me, but Mrs. Brownlow is quite confident that
if anything were to happen to Gregory Marrable, Walter
would be asked to come to Dunripple as the heir, and to
give up the army altogether.

I get on very well with Mrs. Brownlow, but of course we
cannot be like old friends. Edith is a very nice girl,
but rather shy. She never talks about herself, and is too
silent to be questioned. I do not, however, doubt for a
moment but that she will be Walter Marrable's wife. I
think it likely that they are not engaged as yet, as in
that case I think Mrs. Brownlow would tell me; but many
things have been said which leave on my mind a conviction
that it will be so. He is to be here again in August, and
from the way in which Mrs. Brownlow speaks of his coming,
there is no doubt that she expects it. That he paid great
attention to Edith when he was here before, I am quite
sure; and I take it he is only waiting till--

In writing so far, Miss Marrable had intended to signify that Captain
Marrable had been slow to ask Edith Brownlow to be his wife while he
was at Dunripple, because he could not bring himself so soon to show
himself indifferent to his former love; but that now he would not
hesitate, knowing as he would know, that his former love had bestowed
herself elsewhere; but in this there would have been a grievous
accusation against Mary, and she was therefore compelled to fill up
her sentence in some other form;--

till things should have arranged themselves a little.

And it will be all for the best. She is a very nice,
quiet, lady-like girl, and so great a favourite with her
uncle, that should his son die before him, his great
object in life will be her welfare. Walter Marrable, as
her husband, would live at Dunripple, just as though the
place were his own. And indeed there would be no one
between him and the property except his own father. Some
arrangement could be made as to buying out his life
interest,--for which indeed he has taken the money
beforehand with a vengeance,--and then Walter would be
settled for life. Would not this be all for the best?

I shall go home about the 14th. They want me to stay,
but I shall have been away quite long enough. I don't
know whether people ought to go from home at all after a
certain age. I get cross b