On finding it was yet early, she sat down in a deep chair, and warmed her toes at the small wood fire, which was just enough to be enjoyable and not enough to be hot.

It was now the beginning of October, for Claudius's letter, begun on the 15th of September, had not been posted until the 21st, and had been a long time on the way.

She wondered when he would get the letter she had just written.

It was not much of a letter, but she remembered the last paragraph, and thought it was quite affectionate enough.

As for Claudius, when he received it he was as much delighted as though it had been six times as long and a hundred times more expansive.