Devil’s Cub (Alastair-Audley #2)

TEN

MRS CHALLONER’S EMOTIONS UPON reading her elder daughter’s letter found expression in a series of loud shrieks that brought Sophia running to her room. ‘Read that!’ gasped the afflicted parent, and thrust the note into Sophia’s hands.

When Sophia had mastered its contents she wasted no time, but went off into strong hysterics, drumming her feet on the carpet, and becoming alarmingly rigid.

Mrs Challoner, a practical woman, dashed the contents of a jug of water over her, and upon Sophia recovering sufficiently to break into a flood of tears mixed with sobbing complaints of her sister’s wickedness, she sat down by her dressing-table, and thought very deeply.