Her best protection from him would be a manifest kindly negation of any special interest.

In the second place, she believed that he would have her letter with the other papers, and she did not wish her aunt to see it, lest she should recognise the writing.

In her boudoir, with a beating heart, she untied the string and looked through the papers.
Her letter was not among them.
For a few seconds she stood stock still, thinking.

Then, with a sigh, she sat down and began to read the list of debts, turning to the originals now and again for details.

As she went on, her wonder and disgust grew; and even a sense of fear came into her thoughts.