was bound to make it up in some other way. The debts
would be left the same. But that would remain with Providence.

Then came Harry's letter, and there was a deep consultation. It was
known to have come from Harry by the Buntingford post-mark. Mrs.
Mountjoy proposed to consult Lady Mountjoy; but to that Sir Magnus would
not agree. "She'd take her skin off her if she could, now that she's
angered," said the lady's husband, who no doubt knew the lady well. "Of
course she'll learn that the letter has been written, and then she'll
throw it in our teeth. She wouldn't believe that it had gone astray in
coming here. We should give her a sort of a whip-hand over us." So it
was decided that Florence should have her letter.

CHAPTER XXXI.

FLORENCE'S REQUEST.

Thus it was arranged that Florence should be left in Mr. Anderson's way.
Mr. Anderson, as Sir Magnus had said, was not always out riding. There
were moments in which even he was off duty. And Sir Magnus contrived to
ride a little earlier than usual so that he should get back while the
carriage was still out on its rounds. Lady Mountjoy certainly did her
duty, taking Mrs. Mountjoy with her daily, and generally Miss Abbott, so
that Florence was, as it were, left to the mercies of Mr. Anderson. She
could, of course, shut herself up in her bedroom, but things had not as
yet become so bad as that. Mr. Anderson had not made himself terrible to
her. She did not, in truth, fear Mr. Anderson at all, who was courteous
in his manner and complimentary in his language, and she came at this
time to the conclusion that if Mr. Anderson continued his pursuit of her
she would tell him the exact truth of the case. As a gentleman, and as a
young man, she thought that he would sympathize with her. The one enemy
whom she did dread was Lady Mountjoy. She too had felt that her aunt
could "take her skin off her," as Sir Magnus had said. She had not heard
the words, but she knew that it was so, and her dislike to Lady Mountjoy
was in proportion. It cannot be said that she was afraid. She did not
intend to leave her skin in her aunt's hands. For every inch of skin
taken she resolved to have an inch in return. She was not acquainted
with the expressive mode of language which Sir Magnus had adopted, but
she was prepared for all such attacks. For Sir Magnus himself, since he
had given up the letter to her, she did feel some regard.

Behind the British minister's house, which, though entitle