You have offered yourself for a service which I did not seek.

What care I for his Excellency's gifts?
Shall it be said that I was the means of sending a man into deadly danger to secure me a foolish estate?
You have offended me grossly, and I pray you spare me further offence, I command you to give up this journey.

I will not have my name bandied about in this land as a wanton who sets silly youth by the ears to gratify her pride.

If you desire to retain a shred of my friendship, go to his Excellency and tell him that by my orders you withdraw from the wager."_ This letter did not cloud my spirits as it should.

For one thing, she signed it "Elspeth," and for another, I had the conceited notion that what moved her most was the thought that I was running into danger.