Mrs.Conisbee provided hot water for their breakfast.

On descending to fetch it, Virginia found that the postman had left a letter for her.

The writing on the envelope seemed to be a stranger's.

She ran upstairs again in excitement.
'Who can this be from, Alice ?' The elder sister had one of her headaches this morning; she was clay colour, and tottered in moving about.

The close atmosphere of the bedroom would alone have accounted for such a malady.