d is not at all rich, but
very jolly. She is the only unmarried girl, and has half-a-dozen
brothers in all stages, from twelve up to Wallace, who is a doctor, and
thinks my photograph is "ripping!" It all seemed so tempting, and so
refreshingly different from anything I have known. I began imagining it
all--the journey, meeting Lorna at the station, and tearing about with
all those funny, merry boys, instead of tiptoeing about a sick-room;
Wallace being nice and attentive to me, instead of in love with someone
else, as all the men at home seem to be, and Lorna creeping into my bed
at night, with her hair in a funny, tight little pigtail, and talking,
talking, talking for hour after hour. Oh, I did want to go so badly!
The tears came to my eyes for very longing. My resolution did not waver
one bit, but I was dreadfully sorry for myself, all the same.

Suddenly I became aware that there was a dead silence in the room. How
long it had lasted I can't tell, but when I looked up there were Vere
and Will staring at me, and looking as if they had been staring for an
age, and couldn't understand what on earth was the matter. I jumped and
got red, and blinked away the tears, and Vere said--

"What is the matter, child? Have you had bad news? You look as if your
heart was broken!"

"Oh, no--there's no news at all. I am tired, I think, and stupid, and
wasn't thinking of what I was doing."

"You seemed to be thinking of something pretty deeply; and what business
have you to be tired--a baby like you? I have been prescribing for her
to-day, Mr Dudley. Have you noticed how thin she has grown? She
hadn't discovered it herself until I told her, wonderful to relate."

"I don't think she has thought of herself at all these last few months,"
said Will, quietly.

He only just gave one glance at me, and then looked away, and I was
thankful, for every drop of blood in my body seemed to fly to my face in
the joy of hearing him praise me like that. Vere did not speak for a
moment or two, and then she just asked who the letter was from.

"Lorna Forbes. She writes every week. I haven't written to her for an
age--nearly a month."

They both knew about Lorna, and teased me about her when I quoted her
opinion, and now, to my surprise, Will lifted his eyes from the carpet,
and said, looking me full in the face--

"And she wants you to pay her a visit, and you think you ought not to
go?"

How could he guess? I was so taken