“Well, that’s true. And till you open it, it won’t be any news at all.”
“I wanted mother to be first to know.”
“Oh, very well—only, as you say, it mightn’t be good news.”
“If it’s bad news, I want to be alone. But why should they trouble to write?”
“True again. I s’pose now you’re sure it is from them?”
“I can tell by the seal.”
“Take it home, then,” said the postman. “Only if you think ’tis for the sake of a twiddling sixteen shilling a week that I traipse all these miles every day—”
Taffy fingered the seal. “If you would really like to know—”
“Don’t ’ee mention it. Not on any account.” He waved his hand magnanimously and trudged off toward Tredinnis.
Taffy waited until he disappeared behind the first sand-hill, and broke the seal. A slip of parchment lay inside the envelope.