He had received certain promises, so he assured me, and for a long time he had buoyed himself up with hope, but after that, feeling himself very much injured, and knowing that he had been deceived, he had determined to go away." Laura had never expected to have her conduct brought home to her, and she had actually been almost unaware that she was to blame.
"It was Amelia's doing," she murmured.
Brandon was anxious to speak guardedly, and would not mention Joseph's name again lest Mrs.Melcombe should enter suddenly and hear it, so he answered, "Yes; and the young man told me he knew you were very much afraid of your sister-in-law.

It appears, however, that you had written to him." "I did, two or three times," said Laura.
"So in case you should in after years feel anxious as to what had become of those letters, or should feel some compunction for groundless hopes excited and for causeless caprice, I undertook to tell you as a message from this young man, that, considering you to be completely under the dominion of your sister-in-law, he does not at all blame you, he does not admit that you are in fault; in one sense, now that he can look back on his attachment as over, he declares that he is the better for it, because it induced him to work hard at improving himself.

He is to go out to Santo Domingo, where, in a new climate, and hearing a new language, he can begin life afresh; but he wishes you to be assured that he shall never trouble or annoy you, and he returns you your letters.

I promised to say all this to you as a message from this young man--a young man who, whatever the world may call him, deserves, I think, by you (and me) to be from henceforth always regarded as a gentleman.

Will you allow me to give you this packet ?" He had risen as he spoke, and while approaching her produced a small packet carefully done up; but Laura did not stir.