Totty had been Thyrza's close friend; that formerly had been a source of jealous feeling, now it seemed to have become an attraction.
Totty gave looks that were not unkind, but did not make advances; she was a little ashamed of the way she had behaved when Lydia came to her for help.
Lydia did not think it necessary to tell Gilbert that she too wanted to let someone know that there was news from Thyrza.

After leaving the parlour, she ran out to a little shop in Kennington Road and purchased a sheet of note-paper and an envelope.

Writing a letter was by no means a simple thing to Lyddy; it was after midnight before she had schemed the sentences--or rather, the one long hyper-Attic sentence--in which she should convey her intelligence to Ackroyd.

Several things were to be considered in this composition.

First, it must be as brief as possible; then, it must be very formal in its mode of address.