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〃and you are going to take the letter to him； and wait for an
answer； and； mind this； not a living soul but our two selves must
know of it in the house。〃
〃Why are you writing to Mr。 Armadale？〃 asked Rachel。 〃And why is
nobody to know of it but our two selves？〃
〃Wait；〃 rejoined Mrs。 Milroy； 〃and you will see。〃
The nurse's curiosity； being a woman's curiosity； declined to
wait。
〃I'll help you with my eyes open；〃 she said； 〃but I won't help
you blindfold。〃
〃Oh； if I only had the use of my limbs！〃 groaned Mrs。 Milroy。
〃You wretch； if I could only do without you！〃
〃You have the use of your head；〃 retorted the impenetrable nurse。
〃And you ought to know better than to trust me by halves； at this
time of day。〃
It was brutally put； but it was truedoubly true； after the
opening of Miss Gwilt's letter。 Mrs。 Milroy gave way。
〃What do you want to know？〃 she asked。 〃Tell me； and leave me。〃
〃I want to know what you are writing to Mr。 Armadale about？〃
〃About Miss Gwilt。〃
〃What has Mr。 Armadale to do with you and Miss Gwilt？〃
Mrs。 Milroy held up the letter that had been returned to her by
the authorities at the Post…office。
〃Stoop；〃 she said。 〃Miss Gwilt may be listening at the door。 I'll
whisper。〃
The nurse stooped； with her eye on the door。 〃You know that the
postman went with this letter to Kingsdown Crescent？〃 said Mrs。
Milroy。 〃And you know that he found Mrs。 Mandeville gone away；
nobody could tell where？〃
〃Well；〃 whispered Rachel 〃what next？〃
〃This； next。 When Mr。 Armadale gets the letter that I am going to
write to him； he will follow the same road as the postman； and
we'll see what happens when he knocks at Mrs。 Mandeville's door。〃
〃How do you get him to the door？〃
〃I tell him to go to Miss Gwilt's reference。〃
〃Is he sweet on Miss Gwilt？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Ah！〃 said the nurse。 〃I see！〃
CHAPTER III。
THE BRINK OF DISCOVERY。
THE morning of the interview between Mrs。 Milroy and her daughter
at the cottage was a morning of serious reflection for the squire
at the great house。
Even Allan's easy…tempered nature had not been proof against the
disturbing influences exercised on it by the events of the last
three days。 Midwinter's abrupt departure had vexed him； and Major
Milroy's reception of his inquiries relating to Miss Gwilt
weighed unpleasantly on his mind。 Since his visit to the cottage；
he had felt impatient and ill at ease； for the first time in his
life； with everybody who came near him。 Impatient with Pedgift
Junior； who had called on the previous evening to announce his
departure for London； on business； the next day； and to place his
services at the disposal of his client； ill at ease with Miss
Gwilt； at a secret meeting with her in the park that morning； and
ill at ease in his own company； as he now sat moodily smoking in
the solitude of his room。 〃I can't live this sort of life much
longer；〃 thought Allan。 〃If nobody will help me to put the
awkward question to Miss Gwilt； I must stumble on some way of
putting it for myself。〃
What way？ The answer to that question was as hard to find as
ever。 Allan tried to stimulate his sluggish invention by walking
up and down the room； and was disturbed by the appearance of the
footman at the first turn。
〃Now then！ what is it？〃 he asked； impatiently。
〃A letter； sir； and the person waits for an answer。〃
Allan looked at the address。 It was in a strange handwriting。 He
opened the letter； and a little note inclosed in it dropped to
the ground。 The note was directed； still in the strange
handwriting； to 〃Mrs。 Mandeville； 18 Kingsdown Crescent；
Bayswater。 Favored by Mr。 Armadale。〃 More and more surprised；
Allan turned for information to the signature at the end of the
letter。 It was 〃Anne Milroy。〃
〃Anne Milroy？〃 he repeated。 〃It must be the major's wife。 What
can she possibly want with me？〃 By way of discovering what she
wanted； Allan did at last what he might more wisely have done at
first。 He sat down to read the letter。
＇〃Private。〃＇ 〃The Cottage； Monday。
〃DEAR SIRThe name at the end of these lines will； I fear；
recall to you a very rude return made on my part； some time
since； for an act of neighborly kindness on yours。 I can only say
in excuse that I am a great sufferer； and that； if I was
ill…tempered enough； in a moment of irritation under severe pain；
to send back your present of fruit； I have regretted doing so
ever since。 Attribute this letter； if you please； to my desire to
make some atonement； and to my wish to be of service to our good
friend and landlord； if I possibly can。
〃I have been informed of the question which you addressed to my
husband； the day before yesterday； on the subject of Miss Gwilt。
From all I have heard of you； I am quite sure that your anxiety
to know more of this charming person than you know now is an
anxiety proceeding from the most honorable motives。 Believing
this； I feel a woman's interestincurable invalid as I amin
assisting you。 If you are desirous of becoming acquainted with
Miss Gwilt's family circumstances without directly appealing to
Miss Gwilt herself； it rests with you to make the discovery； and
I will tell you how。
〃It so happens that； some few days since； I wrote privately to
Miss Gwilt's reference on this very subject。 I had long observed
that my governess was singularly reluctant to speak of her family
and her friends； and； without attributing her silence to other
than perfectly proper motives； I felt it my duty to my daughter
to make some inquiry on the subject。 The answer that I have
received is satisfactory as far as it goes。 My correspondent
informs me that Miss Gwilt's story is a very sad one； and that
her own conduct throughout has been praiseworthy in the extreme。
The circumstances （of a domestic nature； as I gather） are all
plainly stated in a collection of letters now in the possession
of Miss Gwilt's reference。 This lady is perfectly willing to let
me see the letters； but not possessing copies of them； and being
personally responsible for their security； she is reluctant； if
it can be avoided； to trust them to the post； and she begs me to
wait until she or I can find some reliable person who can be
employed to transmit the packet from her hands to mine。
〃Under these circumstances； it has struck me that you might
possibly； with your interest in the matter； be not unwilling to
take charge of the papers。 If I am wrong in this idea； and if you
are not disposed； after what I have told you； to go to the
trouble and expense of a journey to London； you have only to burn
my letter and inclosure； and to think no more about it。 If you
decide on becoming my envoy； I gladly provide you with the
necessary introduction to Mrs。 Mandeville。 You have only； on
presenting it； to receive the letters in a sealed packet； to send
them her e on your return to Thorpe Ambrose； and to wait an early
communication from me acquainting you with the result。
〃In conclusion； I have only to add that I see no impropriety in
your taking （if you feel so inclined） the course that I propose
to you。 Miss Gwilt's manner of receiving such allusions as I have
made to her family circumstances has rendered it unpleasant for
me （and would render it quite impossible for you） to seek
information in the first instance from herself。 I am certainly
justified in applying to her reference； and you are certainly not
to blame for being the medium of safely transmitting a sealed
communication with one lady to another。 If I find in that
communication family secrets which cannot honorably be mentioned
to any third person； I shall； of course； be obliged to keep you
waiting until I have first appealed to Miss Gwilt。 If I find
nothing recorded but what is to her honor； and what is sure to
raise her still higher in your estimation； I am undeniably doing
her a service by taking you into my confidence。 This is how I
look at the matter； but pray don't allow me to influence _you。_
〃In any case； I have one condition to make； which I am sure you
will understand to be indispensable。 The most innocent actions
are liable； in this wicked world； to the worst possible
interpretation I must； therefore； request that you will consider
this communication as strictly _private。_。 I write to you in a
confidence which is on no account （until circumstances may； in my
opinion； justify the revelation of it） to extend beyond our two
selves；
〃Believe me； dear sir； truly yours；
〃ANNE MILROY。〃
In this tempting form the unscrupulous ingenuity of the major's
wife had set the trap。 Without a moment's hesitation； Allan
followed his impulses； as usual； and walked straight into it；
writing his answer and pursuing his own reflections
simultaneously in a highly characteristic state of mental
confusion。
〃By Jupiter； this is kind of Mrs。 Milroy！〃 （〃My dear madam。〃）
〃Just the thing I wanted； at the time when I needed it most！〃 （〃I
don't know how to express my sense of your kindness； except by
saying that I will go to London and fetch the letters with the
greatest pleasure。〃） 〃She shall have a basket of fruit regularly
every day； all through the season。 〃 （〃I will go at once； dear
madam； and be back to…morrow。〃） 〃Ah； nothing