What she had already written to Teresa, she now wrote again--with but one modification.

She expressed herself forbearingly towards Ovid's mother.
The closing words of the letter were worthy of Carmina's gentle, just, and generous nature.
"You will perhaps say, Why do I only hear now of all that you have suffered?
My love, I have longed to tell you of it! I have even taken up my pen to begin.

But I thought of you, and put it down again.

How selfish, how cruel, to hinder your recovery by causing you sorrow and suspense to bring you back perhaps to England before your health was restored! I don't regret the effort that it has cost me to keep silence.
My only sorrow in writing to you is, that I must speak of your mother in terms which may lower her in her son's estimation." Joseph brought the luncheon up to Carmina's room.
The mistress was still at her studies; the master had gone to his club.
As for the girls, their only teacher for the present was the teacher of music.

When the ordeal of the lecture and the discussion had been passed, Mrs.Gallilee threatened to take Miss Minerva's place herself, until a new governess could be found.