Straight Forward by Lucy Ellen Guernsey

IT was some moments before Delia became composed enough to speak at all, so that Emily had time to imagine every conceivable misfortune, before she found out the real state of the case. At last Delia recovered herself by a strong effort.

"It is all useless, Emily. I can do nothing! I am entirely in his power, and must do just as he, says. Oh, why was I ever such a fool as to listen to him!"

"But how is it? " asked Emily. "I don't understand."

"You know I told you we had agreed to burn each other's letters."

Emily nodded.

"Do you believe he has kept all mine, every one of them and they are all signed with my name. He declares if I drop the correspondence now, he will publish them to all the world, and that, with other things I have done, would ruin me forever."

"I don't know what else you have done, except meeting him in the garden."

"That is enough, and more than enough for his purpose, even if it were all, but there is more than that. It is not the first time."

"The villain! " exclaimed Emily, indignantly. "He deserves to be hung!"

"You are too hard upon him, Emily. He would never have thought of it, if I had not encouraged him in the first place. He complains that I have trifled with him outrageously, which is true enough, and says I am bound to him in all honor."

"I should think there could be very little honor in such a case," said Emily, "especially as he broke his word in not destroying your letters."

"He says that he did not understand the agreement to destroy them, which may be true, and that he shall not make any use of them, unless I drive him to it. And you must remember that I have been quite as much to blame as he, and more so."

"And is there no way? " asked Emily.

"No way, but to let the matter run to its close. I have made my bed, and now I must lie upon it."

"But cannot something be done? Oh, Delia, let me tell Mrs. Pomeroy, or Mr. Fletcher! They are so kind. I am sure that you have no reason to fear them! Just think how good she was this morning!"

Delia shook her head. "You don't know. A frolic in the garden is a very different thing from such a matter as this. Besides it would lose Mr. Hugo his place, and I have no right to do that. No, Emily, you must not say one word. I wish with all my heart and soul that I had never drawn you into it. I might have been content with my own share of wickedness, without making you as bad as myself."

"You did not hurt me," said Emily. "I never had any principle. I can see it now. It was all feeling, and doing as other people did. But do let me do something for you, dear, I don't mind my own disgrace at all, if I can only help you."

"You are very kind, Emily, but it would be of no use. You would only hurt yourself, and not help me. Don't cry for me, darling, I am not worth it. Let us get ready for dinner. We have a good excuse for red eyes, that is one thing. But how pale you are. Don't you feel well?"

"No! " said Emily. "My head aches, and I have such pains in my limbs that I can hardly help screaming. I think I must have taken cold last night."

"I don't feel any the worse," said Delia, "but then I kept in motion, and you were sitting most of the time on that cold stone bench. How selfish I was! You ought to hate me, Emily, for I have done you nothing but harm ever since I knew you. I almost wish you did."