His father had again offered it, and he had accepted it.

Old Mr.Burton was to add a hundred, and Harry was of opinion that they could do very well.
Cecilia thought the same, he said, and therefore Florence surely would not refuse.

But Florence received, direct from Onslow Crescent Cecilia's own version of her thoughts, and did refuse.

It may be surmised that she would have refused even without assistance from Cecilia, for she was a young lady not of a fickle or changing disposition.

So she wrote to Harry with much care, and as her letter had some influence on the story to be told, the reader shall read it--if the reader so pleases.
STRATTON, March, 186--.
DEAR HARRY: I received your letter this morning, and answer it at once, because I know you will be impatient for an answer.