In half a moment she had seen what was the nature of the reply respecting the proposed companion of her tour, and then she had completed her reading slowly enough.

"No; I gave no commands," she repeated to herself, as though she might thereby absolve herself from blame in reference to some possible future accusations, which might perhaps be brought against her under certain circumstances which she was contemplating.
Then she considered the letter bit by bit, taking it backwards, and sipping her tea every now and then amidst her thoughts.

No; she had no home, no house, there.

She had no husband;--not as yet.

He spoke of their engagement as though it were a betrothal, as betrothals used to be of yore; as though they were already in some sort married.