H,--I have received your two--or is it
three?--charming letters recently written, suggesting a renewal of the
lease of Little Cloisters beyond September. At first I hesitated. The
atmosphere of a Cathedral town naturally attracts me and recalls sweet
memories of the past. On the other hand the life of a well-managed
hotel, such as this is not without its _agrements_. Frivolous it may
be (though not light); comfortable and restful it undoubtedly is. The
against and the for in a nutshell as it were! Your last letter, in
which you dwell on the dampness inevitable in old houses, and quote the
Bishop's opinion, would, I think, have left me undisturbed in mind--I
have recently taken up the 'new mind' cult, which is, of course, not
antagonistic to our cherished Anglican beliefs--had it not happened to
coincide with more than a touch of bronchial asthma. The Bishop (quite
between you and me!) though a very dear man and a very good Christian,
is not a person of great intellect. My husband would never enter into
controversy with him, as he said it was useless to strive in argument
with a mind not sure of its bearings! An opinion of the Bishop's would
not, therefore, weigh much with me. But there is an element of truth in
the contention as to the damp. Old houses _are_ damp at times. Little
Cloisters, placed as it is in the shadow of the Cathedral, doubtless
suffers in some degree from this defect. My doctor here,--_such_ a
clever man!--though very reluctant to prevent me from returning home,
confessed to-day that he thought my case needed careful watching by some
one who _knew_. Now (between you and me), nobody _knows_ in Welsley,
and therefore, after weighing pros and cons, and undergoing an hour of
mental treatment--merely the silent encouragement and purification of
the will--by an expert here, I have decided to remain for the winter.
I am willing, therefore, to extend your lease for another six months
on the terms as before. Perhaps you will kindly visit my solicitor,
Mr. Collingwood of Cattle Market Lane,--but you are sure to know his
address!--who will arrange everything legally with you.--With my
kindest regards and all good wishes, believe me, dear Mrs. Leith, always
sincerely yours,

"IMOGENE DUNCAN BROWNING."

It was Beattie's last morning at Little Cloisters; she had settled to
go back to De Lorne Gardens in the afternoon of that day. Rosamund
read Mrs. Browning's letter sitting opposite to her sister at the
breakf