The Major absolutely groaned inwardly; for he knew by her allusions that his worst fears were realised, and she had got the note intended for Nellie. So, then, each of the three letters had been delivered to the wrong person! Confound that hurry—confound that fellow Hollis, who had been the cause of it by his mischievous interference with the hair-dye. Had it not been for that incident, the Major was convinced he could never have made such a gross mistake as this. And here was the happiness of a household imperilled by a bottle of hair-dye!
‘It may be monstrously absurd to others,’ groaned the miserable Dawkins; ‘but to me it is monstrously distressing.’
‘What is so absurd and at the same time so distressing?’ inquired Mrs John gaily, restraining within due bounds her inclination to laugh at the extraordinary contortions of his features.
‘My dear madam, I assure you, it is all a stupid and most lamentable mistake on my part. That letter’——
‘I am quite satisfied that it is a mistake,’ she interrupted. ‘Pray, do not feel any uneasiness on that account, and do not bother about the letter. But, concerning the lady, I should like to know something, and you promise here to tell me.’ She held the unlucky letter open in her hand.
‘My dear Friend,’ it ran—‘That is the most appropriate form of address for me to use on the present occasion, which is in my eyes an important one. I beseech you to give no heed whatever to any nonsense you may hear about our “mutual friend” and a certain lady. There is not the slightest foundation for it, and of that I shall convince you immediately after my arrival at Todhurst.—Believe me, your most faithful servant,
Alfred Dawkins.’
‘You were never intended to receive that letter,’ ejaculated the Major with a resolute effort to pull himself together.
‘I am sure my husband did not intend it,’ she rejoined, smiling confidentially; ‘but I thank you for putting me on my guard against idle rumours. It was your duty to do so, as the friend of the family, and I for one am grateful. But it was scarcely necessary; for although John is peculiar in some ways, I have perfect confidence in his discretion, and know that he is incapable of entangling himself with any lady, except through others misunderstanding one of his philanthropic crazes.—Ah, I see what it is,’ and here her expression changed from that of half-indifferent curiosity to one of serious interest. ‘He has been kind to some wretched creature, and she is trying to take advantage of him. That is what you mean by warning me not to heed any nonsense I might hear. Thanks, thanks! I must go at once and relieve his mind of any uneasiness as to my views of the case.’
The Major had endeavoured several times to interrupt her without avail. Now, when he saw her turning quickly away, he cried vehemently: ‘Stop, my dear madam; you are quite wrong—you misunderstand the whole affair. Do give me time to tell you exactly what is the matter.’