sal of my going to London, I am such an absolute
stranger to every body there, and have such a bad opinion of the place,
that I cannot by any means think of going thither; except I should be
induced, some time hence, by the ladies of his family to attend them.

'As to the meeting he is desirous of, I think it by no means proper;
especially as it is so likely that I may soon see him. But that if any
thing occurs to induce me to change my mind, as to withdrawing, I will
then take the first opportunity to see him, and give him my reasons for
that change.

This, my dear, I the less scrupled to write, as it might qualify him to
bear such a disappointment, should I give it him; he having, besides,
behaved so very unexceptionably when he surprised me some time ago in
the lonely wood-house.

Finally, 'I commend myself, as a person in distress, and merely as such,
to his honour, and to the protection of the ladies of his family. I
repeat [most cordially, I am sure!] my deep concern for being forced to
take a step so disagreeable, and so derogatory to my honour. And having
told him, that I will endeavour to obtain leave to dine in the Ivy
Summer-house,* and to send Betty of some errand, when there, I leave the
rest to him; but imagine, that about four o'clock will be a proper time
for him to contrive some signal to let me know he is at hand, and for me
to unbolt the garden-door.'

* The Ivy Summer-house (or Ivy Bower, as it was sometimes
called in the family) was a place, that from a girl, this
young lady delighted in. She used, in the summer months,
frequently to sit and work, and read, and write, and draw,
and (when permitted) to breakfast, and dine, and sometimes
to sup, in it; especially when Miss Howe, who had an equal
liking to it, was her visiter and guest.

She describes it, in another letter (which appears not) as 'pointing to
a pretty variegated landscape of wood, water, and hilly country; which
had pleased her so much, that she had drawn it; the piece hanging up, in
her parlous, among some of her other drawings.'

I added, by way of postscript, 'That their suspicions seeming to
increase, I advise him to contrive to send or some to the usual place,
as frequently as possible, in the interval of time till Monday morning
ten or eleven o'clock; as something may possibly happen to make me alter
my mind.'

O my dear Miss Howe!--what a sad, sad thing is the necessity, forced
upon