To us all Valentine was, as Mrs. Cramp had phrased it, more welcome than the sun in harvest, and was made much of. When a young fellow has been going to the bad, and has the resolution to pull up and to persevere, he should be honoured, cried the Squire--and we did our best to honour Val. For a week or two there was nothing but visiting everywhere. He was then going to Guernsey to see his mother, when she wrote to stop him, saying she was coming back to Crabb for his wedding.
And while Valentine was reading his mother's letter at the tea-table--for the Channel Islands letters always came in by the second post--Mrs. Cramp was opening one directed to her. Suddenly Valentine heard a gurgle--and next a moan. Looking up, he saw his aunt gasping for breath, her face an indescribable mixture of emotions.
"Why, Aunt Mary Ann," he cried; "are you ill?"
"If I'm not ill, I might be," retorted Mrs. Cramp. "Here's a letter from that wretched girl--that Juliet! She's not dead after all. She has been in Guernsey all this time."
Valentine paused a moment to take in the truth of the announcement, and then burst into laughter deep and long. Mrs. Cramp handed him the letter.
"DEAR AUNT MARY ANN,--I hope you will forgive me! Georgie writes word that you have been in a way about me. I thought you'd be _sure_ to guess it was only a trick. I did it to give a thorough fright to that wicked cat; you can't think how full of malice she is. I put on my old navy-blue serge and close winter bonnet, which no one would be likely to miss or remember, and carried the other things to the edge of the pond and left them there. While you were at supper I stole away, caught the last train at Crabb Junction, and surprised Clementina at Edgbaston. She promised to be secret--she hates that she-cat--and the next morning I started for Guernsey. Clementina did not tell Georgie till a week ago, after she heard that Valentine would not believe it, and then Georgie wrote to me and blew me up. I am enchanted to hear that the toad passes her nights in horrid fear of seeing my ghost, and that her yellow hair is turning blue; Georgie says it is.--Your ever affectionate and repentant niece,
"P.S.--I hope you will believe I am very sorry for paining you, dear Aunt Mary Ann. And I want to tell you that I think it likely I shall soon be married. An old gentleman out here who has a beautiful house and lots of money admires me very much. Please let Fred Scott know this."