"Very honest indeed," Joyce said, laughing; "a little too honest!"
The letter was dictated and posted, with one from Mrs. Arundel. Postage was an object in those days, so that the two letters went under one cover, carefully sealed by Gilbert's hand.
For some days there was silence, and no one knew what turn events had taken, and there was no answer to the letters.
A week passed, and then came a letter from Charlotte herself.
"My dear Joyce,—You will see by the date of this letter I am at Bath. I was married to dear Lord Maythorne yesterday. He wished for a very quiet wedding, and he had a special license, and the ceremony was performed at St. Cuthbert's. Dear auntie was present, and dear Gratian and Melville came in from Fair Acres. We went to the 'Swan,' and had an elegant breakfast, and then we posted here. It is very strange to me to feel I am Lady Maythorne; but with such a dear, kind, delightful husband, I ought to be happy. Pray accept kind love from us both.
"Your truly affectionate cousin,
"Charlotte Maythorne."Pulteney Street, Bath,
"November 14th, 1831."
This, then, was the end of Miss Falconer's training, this the reward for all her care; and the strange part of it was that, though Lord Maythorne's own relations were distressed and sad, at the thought of Charlotte's folly in committing herself to the tender mercies of such a man, Miss Falconer was not distressed.
Gratian, who came in to spend a day or two in Clifton with her husband soon after, gave a graphic description of the whole affair.
Wells Cathedral from Bishop's Fields