Acting on her own judgment, she read Colonel Osborne's letter from first to last.

She knew that he was wrong to speak of coming to Nuncombe Putney; but yet she thought that she would see him.

She had a dim perception that she was standing on the edge of a precipice, on broken ground which might fall under her without a moment's warning, and yet she would not retreat from the danger.

Though Colonel Osborne was wrong, very wrong in coming to see her, yet she liked him for coming.

Though she would be half afraid to tell her news to Mrs.Stanbury, and more than half afraid to tell Priscilla, yet she liked the excitement of the fear.