Mamma lifted up her work, showing an envelope that lay on her lap, the crested flap upwards, a blue gun-carriage on a white ground, and the motto: "Ubique."
Catty had been into Reyburn to shop and had called for the letters. Mark was coming home in April.
"Oh—Mamma—"
"There's a letter for you, Mary."
(Not from Mark.)
"If he gets that appointment he won't go back." She thought: "She'll never be unhappy again. She'll never be afraid he'll get cholera."
For a minute their souls met and burned together in the joy they shared.
Then broke apart.
"Aren't you going to show me Mr. Sutcliffe's letter?"
"Why should I?"