"Don't accept on any account."
Then he sought Mrs Langley, and opened Robin's case to her. Mrs
Langley listened with a smile of intelligence, and soon after went to
her daughter's room, the window of which commanded a splendid view of
the western sea.
"Letta, dear, are you moralising or meditating?"
"Both, mamma."
"Well, I will try to help you," said Mrs Langley, seating herself by
the window. "By the way, did you hear that Mr Wright has been offered
a lucrative appointment in the Telegraph Department of India, and is
going off at once;--has not time even to say good-bye to his old friend
Sam Shipton?"
Letta turned very pale, then extremely red, then covered her face with
both hands and burst into tears.
"So, Letta, you love him," said her mother, gently. "Why did you not
let me know this sooner?"
"Oh, mamma!" said poor Letta, "why do you put it so--so--suddenly. I
don't love him--that is--I don't _know_ that I love him. I've never
thought about it seriously. He has never opened his lips to me on the
subject--and--and--"
"Letta, dear," said her mother, tenderly, "would you wish to prevent his
going away if you could? Open your heart to your mother, darling."
Letta laid her head on her mother's shoulder, but spoke not.