Hi
A certain lady was talking to a man. At the beginning of their conversation she told him:
The awkward part of this would all have been over beforeview of her instructions to look after me.
we met if Miss Ellison hadn’t taken such a peculiarly strict
Miss Ellison didn't allow her to send a letter to this man and tell him everything she wanted to tell him.
So does it mean: ... if Miss Ellison didn't treat her instructions related to her looking after me so seriously?