Even as she did so George drove his fat pony up to the door,
and getting down gave a letter to the landlady, with particular
instructions that it was to be delivered into Mr. Cossey's own hands.
As she passed Belle saw that it was addressed in the Squire's
handwriting.
When it was delivered to him Edward Cossey opened it with eagerness.
It contained an inclosure in Ida's writing, and this he read first. It
ran as follows:
"Dear Mr. Cossey,--
"I am told that you are now able to read letters, so I hasten to
write to you. First of all, let me say how thankful I am that you
are in a fair way to complete recovery from your dreadful
accident. And now I must tell you what I fear will be almost as
painful to you to read as it is for me to write, namely, that the
engagement between us is at an end. To put the matter frankly, you
will remember that I rightly or wrongly became engaged to you on a
certain condition. That condition has not been fulfilled, for Mr.
Quest, to whom the mortgages on my father's property have been
transferred by you, is pressing for their payment. Consequently
the obligation on my part is at an end, and with it the engagement
must end also, for I grieve to tell you that it is not one which
my personal inclination will induce me to carry out.
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