Speaking in the interest
of my daughter's welfare, I request that you will inform me
what the circumstances are which have prevented your seeing
Mrs. Mandeville, and which have led to the withdrawal of the
assistance that you unconditionally promised me in your letter
of Monday last.
"In my state of health, I cannot involve myself in a lengthened
correspondence. I must endeavor to anticipate any objections you
may make, and I must say all that I have to say in my present
letter. In the event (which I am most unwilling to consider
possible) of your declining to accede to the request that I have
just addressed to you, I beg to say that I shall consider it my
duty to my daughter to have this very unpleasant matter cleared
up. If I don't hear from you to my full satisfaction by return
of post, I shall be obliged to tell my husband that circumstances
have happened which justify us in immediately testing the
respectability of Miss Gwilt's reference. And when he asks me
for my authority, I will refer him to you.
"Your obedient servant, ANNE MILROY."
In those terms the major's wife threw off the mask, and left her
victim to survey at his leisure the trap in which she had caught
him.
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