He was a violent man, and he uttered some strong expressions, and his wife, on hearing them, took good care to keep out of his way.

She could not make out why Dove sat so long in the back parlor, and why he refused to eat his dinner, which was very hot and tasty.

After a time, with a sigh of relief, she heard him go out.
Dove had hastily fastened up the letter, trusting to no one's noticing that it had been opened.

Again he reached Miss Egerton's house; again he made his way from the roof to the upper landing, and from the upper landing to the girls' rooms; the letter was not placed on the table, but was skilfully slipped down between some books which lay in a pile on Jasmine's little writing-table.

It might have been put there by any one who was dusting the room, and it might have lain in its present position unseen for many days.