es, about that appointment. I am sure something can be
done. Give Alice my love. I thought her new photographs charming. And
you, darling, are you looking after everybody as usual? I wish I could
give you a good hug. Good-bye."

* * * * *

To which Nora replied, a couple of days later--

* * * * *

"Your account of Aunt Marcia and Aunt Winifred amused father
tremendously. He thinks, however, that he would like Aunt Marcia better
than Aunt Winifred, as he--and I--get more anticlerical every year. But
we keep it to ourselves. Mamma and Alice wouldn't understand. Ryde is
very full, and mamma and Alice want nothing more than the pier and the
sands and the people. Papa and I take long walks along the coast, or
across the island. We find a cliff to bask on, or a wood that comes down
to the water, and then papa gets out a Greek book and translates to me.
Sometimes I listen to the sea, instead of to him, and go to sleep. But
he doesn't mind. He is looking better, but work is loading up for him
again as soon as we get back to Oxford about a week from now. If only he
could get rid of drudgery, and write his best about the things he loves.
Nobody knows what a mind he has. He is not only a scholar--he is a poet.
He could write things as beautiful as Mr. Pater's, but his life is
ground out of him.

"I won't go on writing this--it's no good.

"Herbert Pryce came down yesterday, and has taken mother and Alice out
boating to-day. If he doesn't mean to propose to Alice, it is very odd
he should take the trouble to come here. But he doesn't say anything
definite; he doesn't propose; and her face often makes me furious. His
manner to mamma--and to me--is often brusque and disagreeable. It is as
though he felt that in marrying Alice--if he is going to marry her--he
is rather unfairly burdened with the rest of us. And it is no good
shirking the fact that you count for a good deal in the matter. He was
delighted with your message, and if you can help him he will propose to
Alice. Goodness, fancy marrying such a man!

"As to Mr. Falloden, I don't believe he will ever be anything but hard
and tyrannical. I don't believe in conversion and change of heart, and
that kind of thing. I don't--I don't! You are not to be taken in,
Connie! You are not to fall in love with him again out of pity. If he
does lose all his money, and have to work like anybody else, what does
it matter? He