I
have known them from childhood; and I come to give you the benefit of
my experience in their interests and in yours. You have nothing to dread
from the elder of the two; she patiently accepts the hard lot which you,
and your father before you, have forced on her. The younger sister's
conduct is the very opposite of this. She has already declined to submit
to your father's decision, and she now refuses to be silenced by Mrs.
Lecount's letter. Take my word for it, she is capable of giving you
serious trouble if you persist in making an enemy of her."
Noel Vanstone changed color once more, and began to fidget again in his
chair. "Serious trouble," he repeated, with a blank look. "If you mean
writing letters, ma'am, she has given trouble enough already. She has
written once to me, and twice to my father. One of the letters to my
father was a threatening letter--wasn't it, Lecount?"
"She expressed her feelings, poor child," said Mrs. Lecount. "I thought
it hard to send her back her letter, but your dear father knew best.
What I said at the time was, Why not let her express her feelings? What
are a few threatening words, after all? In her position, poor creature,
they are words, and nothing more.
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