When the letters came Lady Macleod was not present, and I am disposed to think that one of them had been written by concerted arrangement with her. But if so she had not dared to watch the immediate effect of her own projectile. This one was from Lady Midlothian. Of the other Lady Macleod certainly knew nothing, though it also had sprung out of the discussions which had taken place as to Alice's sins in the Auld Reekie-Midlothian set. This other letter was from Lady Glencora. Alice opened the two, one without reading the other, very slowly. Lady Midlothian's was the first opened, and then came a spot of anger on Alice's cheeks as she saw the signature, and caught a word or two as she allowed her eye to glance down the page. Then she opened the other, which was shorter, and when she saw her cousin's signature, "Glencora Palliser," she read that letter first,--read it twice before she went back to the disagreeable task of perusing Lady Midlothian's lecture. The reader shall have both the letters, but that from the Countess shall have precedence.
Castle Reekie, N.B. -- Oct. 186--.

 Macleod was not present when these letters arrived, but she knew one of them was coming: a letter from Lady Midlothian, who was shocked by Alice's treatment of Mr. Grey. Of the other Lady Macleod knew nothing. This other letter was from Lady Glencora.
Alice opened them both very slowly. Lady Midlothian's was the first, and Alice flushed with anger as she saw the signature, and caught a word or two on the page. Then she opened the other, which was shorter, and when she saw her cousin's signature, "Glencora Palliser," she read that letter first, before she went back to the disagreeable task of perusing Lady Midlothian's lecture.
The reader shall see both the letters, but that from the Countess of Midlothian shall have precedence.
Castle Reekie
