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Updated: June 5, 2025
The envelope and the outer leaf of the letter were black and charred, but the inner leaf, which was the part written on, had not suffered. "Thanks, Fan; that was clever," said Miss Starbrow, taking it; and then proceeded to read it, holding it far from her face as if her eyesight had suddenly fallen into decay.
They are anxious for me not to engage a third just now, and prefer to do all the work themselves, which means, I suppose, that there will be more plunder to divide between them." "And can't I help, ma'am?" said Fan, whose last words had not yet been answered. "I fancy you would look out of place doing housework," said Miss Starbrow. "It strikes me that you are not suited for that sort of thing.
"Miss Starbrow," said he, appealing to her, "is it not hard? Captain Horton either doubts my veracity or believes that I am only joking when I assure him that what I have just told him is plain truth." "Well, let me hear the whole story," she replied, "and I'll act as umpire." "I couldn't wish for a juster one nor for a fairer," he replied with a weak smile.
One morning that was not wet nor foggy Miss Starbrow made up her mind to visit the West End to do a little shopping, and, to the maid's unbounded disgust, she took Fan with her. An hour after breakfast they started in a hansom and drove to the Marble Arch, where they dismissed the cab.
Tom Starbrow and the poor pale-faced curate in his rusty coat were true strong men, and the woman that married either of them would not lean on a reed that would break and pierce her to the quick; and Captain Horton was also a strong man, although he had certainly been a very bad one. But this man, in spite of his nimble brains and eloquent tongue, was weak and unstable, hopelessly fatally.
And so I have half forgiven him, and shall let him visit me again, but only on Wednesday evenings when there will be others. I shall not allow him to come whenever he likes, as he used to do. Fan was silent. Miss Starbrow, sitting before the glass, read the ill-concealed trouble in the girl's face reflected there. "Now don't be foolish, Fan, and think no more about it," she said.
"What is it, dear?" said her friend, looking into her face, surprised to see how flushed it was. "I suppose that Constance was only joking when she said that to me; but promise, Mary, that you will never speak to Mr. Starbrow about such a thing?" "Why?" "Promise, Mary do promise," pleaded the girl. "But, Fan, I have already talked to him more than once on that same dreadful subject."
Before Miss Churton had finished welcoming Fan, Miss Starbrow, looking at her watch and directly addressing the elder lady, said in a cold voice: "I think it would be as well if Miss Affleck could leave us for a few minutes, and I will then finish what I had begun to say." Miss Churton looked inquiringly at her, then turned again to Fan. "Will you come with me to the garden?" she said.
"Yes, ma'am, quite sure," she returned, indignant at having her sacred word doubted. "He was with her on the steps when I opened the door, and shook hands with her just like an old friend when he went away; and she was quite dry." Miss Starbrow said no more.
By-and-by the shortlived sunshine died away, and the sparrows left. It was strangely quiet in the house; distinctly she heard Miss Starbrow come out of the drawing-room and up the stairs; she trembled a little then and felt a little rebellious stirring in her heart, thinking that her mistress was coming up to her. But no, she went to her own room, and closed the door.
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