bury Brook.

On the next morning she was taken back to London and handed over
to her aunt in Kingsbury Crescent without another word having been
spoken by Colonel Stubbs in reference to his love.

CHAPTER XXVII.

LADY ALBURY'S LETTER.

"I have had a letter from Lady Albury," said Aunt Margaret, almost as
soon as Ayala had taken off her hat and cloak.

"Yes, I know, Aunt Margaret. She wrote to ask that I might stay for
four more days. I hope it was not wrong."

"I have had another letter since that, on Monday, about it; I have
determined to show it you. There it is. You had better read it by
yourself, and I will come to you again in half an hour." Then, very
solemnly, but with no trace of ill-humour, Mrs. Dosett left the room.
There was something in her tone and gait so exceedingly solemn that
Ayala was almost frightened. Of course, the letter must be about
Colonel Stubbs, and, of course, the writer of it would find fault
with her. She was conscious that she was adding one to her terribly
long list of sins in not consenting to marry Colonel Stubbs. It was
her misfortune that all her friends found fault with everything that
she did. Among them there was not one, not even Nina, who fully
sympathised with her. Not even to Lucy could she expatiate with a
certainty of sympathy in regard to the Angel of Light. And now,
though her aunt was apparently not angry,--only solemn,--she felt
already sure that she was to be told that it was her duty to marry
Colonel Stubbs. It was only the other day that her aunt was preaching
to her as to the propriety of marrying her cousin Tom. It seemed, she
said to herself, that people thought that a girl was bound to marry
any man who could provide a house for her, and bread to eat, and
clothes to wear. All this passed through her mind as she slowly drew
Lady Albury's letter from the envelope and prepared to read it. The
letter was as follows:--

Stalham, Monday, 18th November, 18--.

DEAR MADAM,

Your niece will return to you, as you request, on
Thursday, but before she reaches you I think it my duty
to inform you of a little circumstance which has occurred
here. My cousin, Colonel Jonathan Stubbs, who is also
the nephew of the Marchesa Baldoni, has made Miss Dormer
an offer. I am bound to add that I did not think it
improbable that it would be so, when I called on your
husband, and begged him to allow your niece to come to
us. I did not t