And, believe me,
Ever affectionately yours,
ALICE.
_Miss Amy Conway to Miss Rose Dacre_.
ALFORD STREET.
THURSDAY.
DEAREST ROSE,
I have been anxiously expecting to hear from you, but you have not sent
me a single line. I say "anxiously," not that I really feel the least
anxiety about you, being perfectly positive, as I am, that all will be
right. But, my dearest girl, I am so deeply interested in this affair
that, of course, I am anxious to hear how matters are going on. And you
are a very naughty child not to have written to me before. Repair your
sin of omission as soon as possible, and let me have a full account of
all your proceedings.
With much love,
Yours ever,
AMY.
_From Miss Rose Dacre to Miss Amy Conway,_ 30, _Alford Street, Park
Lane_.
YACHT "MARIE,"
COWES.
_August 2nd_, 1901.
DEAREST AMY,
Pray forgive me for not having written sooner. But as the French say,
_tout savoir est tout pardonner._ And having been for many days in the
depth of despair, worried out of my life, and half dead with anxiety, I
have not really been able to put pen to paper. But now all is changed,
and I am able to address you with a light heart.
I am sure, Amy, that you will be longing to know why, and for this
reason I will not for a moment leave you a victim to the most terrible
ailment that can attack our sex--unsatisfied feminine curiosity.
Two days ago we were still at Southampton, and it was proposed that
after lunch we should take a little trip down the river Hamble--a river
which runs into Southampton Water. Well, we started--Jack, and a friend
of his, Captain Cleland, Mrs. Vivian, Mrs. Tenterden, and myself. All
went well for about an hour, when a breeze sprang up which soon
developed into half a gale. At least I understood the captain of the
yacht to say so. I didn't mind it in the least, but Mrs. Vivian, poor
old lady, was dreadfully ill and nervous, and though I did all I could
to comfort and reassure her, it was not of much use. As for Mrs.
Tenterden, she absolutely collapsed. In abject terror she uttered
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