CHAPTER XIII.

_DULL LETTERS._

"YOU certainly do manage to send most dreadfully dull letters," complained Nessie, by post a fortnight later. "Anybody else spending a month in London would have no end of things to tell, but you give us nothing except a dry list of the places you go to—park, picture-gallery, museum; museum, picture-gallery, park—that's about all. And I believe it is pretty much the same to you whether you go out or stay in, and whether you look at pictures or pull out the old lady's knitting.

"Mrs. Palmer must be a most prosy individual. And as for Miss Viola Primrose, I don't suppose I should think her so desperately pretty. You are always admiring some hideous person. I believe you thought Mr. Rudge handsome, and he is as ugly a man as one can come across.

"So he is engaged to Viola Primrose. I wish them joy, each of the other. He may be getting a pretty wife, but she won't be getting a handsome husband. Daddy and I did laugh over your prosaic way of stating the fact, just as if you had been expecting it all along. You needn't have made such a fuss, begging and imploring us not to repeat it. Who is there to repeat it to? I'm not likely to go to Mr. Rudge and say:

"'Pauline says you're engaged to Miss Primrose.'

"Besides, I couldn't if I wished, for he has vanished. Gone home, I believe. He is coming back, I suppose, some time, for he has the rooms overhead still, and he has left a lot of things littered about, so the landlady says. But she doesn't know when he will come, and I am sure it doesn't matter. I can't think, for my part, why he stays at Singleton at all. He ought to be where Viola Primrose is; 'I' shouldn't like it if I were she.

"When are you coming back? Father says he can't settle any plans till you do, and it is over three weeks since you went. Is Mrs. Palmer paying you anything? It seems to me that you are just amusing yourself. Do pray, write and say something. Singleton in horribly dull, and my father's clothes are all going into holes, and the weekly bills are higher than when you were with us. I can't help it. I don't know how to manage differently. So make haste and come; there's a dear.

"Your affectionate sister,

"NESSIE."

Pauline pondered long over her answer to this letter. She had felt herself impelled to mention Rudge's engagement to Viola, fearing lest Nessie's fancy might be captivated. And she had done so in the briefest and driest mode, requesting that the news might not be repeated. Nessie's answer was satisfactory as regarded that particular item of information, though not satisfactory in other respects. It spoke too plainly of the younger girl's indolent and self-gratifying habit of mind. After much consideration, Pauline wrote as follows:—

"DEAR NESSIE,

"I am sorry my letters are so uninteresting, but you know I never was good at description. Yes, I have been more than three weeks away now, and I began to wonder what I was expected to do, as nobody said anything. But yesterday evening—before your letter came—Mrs. Palmer gave me a ten-pound note, which she said I was to do what I liked with. I suppose she meant it as a sort of payment. So now we can pay off a few bills.

"Mrs. Palmer is so much better that she talks of going into the country next week. Have I told you that her country house is at Wokingholme? That explains about Mr. Rudge and Miss Primrose—I mean, it would explain, if I didn't know now all about things. Mrs. Palmer and Miss Primrose live only about two miles off from Mr. Rudge, which isn't much. And years ago, when Miss Primrose wasn't an orphan, Mrs. Palmer lived with Mr. Rudge—only 'she' was 'Miss Primrose' then.

"I am afraid you will say that all this is confused. However, Wokingholme is only a few stations from Singleton, so on Monday we are all going to Singleton for two or three nights. I shall come home, but, I am afraid, not to stay. Mrs. Palmer is very anxious to take me home with her. I suppose the idea is that I am to be her permanent companion when Viola Primrose marries. She says I suit her so well. It isn't what I should choose, for many reasons, but one cannot always do exactly what one would choose."

Little dreamt Nessie, when reading these simple words, of the pain that lay behind them, of how Pauline's whole being cried out against the prospect of a home so near that of Leonard Rudge, when he should be married to another. Yet, if it were her duty—!

"One cannot always do exactly what one would choose," wrote Pauline bravely: "though I do assure you, Nessie, I would much rather be at home with you and my father. It is quite as hard for me as it is for you. But I am sure these things are arranged for us, and if it is right—I don't mean to preach, but you know what I mean. One has to be willing to do what is right, even against one's own will, if one is to be worth anything in life. Sometimes I suppose one is glad, later on. Dear Nessie, I do want you to try to be courageous, and to take care of my father, and to make things comfortable for him. It does need trying, but I am sure you can learn. Anybody can; it only needs willingness. The beginning is always a little hard. You see, we can't possibly live all together on our present income; and I don't think you would like to go out; so I must.

"Mrs. Palmer and Miss Primrose want to talk things over, I believe, with my father, but they don't say much. I asked if you should find lodgings, but they say a friend will be there on Monday to look out for them. I fancy they mean Mr. Rudge.

"Now you must forgive me for writing so plainly; and believe me,

"Your affectionate sister,

"PAULINE OGILVIE."