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He held out his hand and grasped the old woman's hard, work-worn fingers very warmly in his. Dr. Haworth, as the good people of Witanbury were fond of reminding one another generally in a commendatory, though sometimes in a complaining, tone was a real gentleman. There followed hours of that merciful rush and bustle which at such moments go a long way to deaden suspense and pain.
There is here only matter for rejoicing." And Anna, in a submissive whisper, had answered, "Ja! Ja!" And then, as she walked last into the room, Anna uttered a guttural expression of delighted surprise, for it was as if every hothouse flower in Witanbury had been gathered to do honour to the white-clad, veiled figure who now stood, with downcast eyes, by the bridegroom's bedside.
"And how about her German friends in England? I suppose she has German friends?" "To the best of my belief, she hasn't a single German acquaintance!" exclaimed Anna's mistress confidently. "She used to know those unfortunate Fröhlings rather well, but, as I daresay you know, they left Witanbury quite early in the War in fact during the first week of war. And she certainly hasn't heard from them.
On her husband's bed was a huge eiderdown, and under that only a sheet no blankets at all! Polly hoped that this horrid fact would never be known in Witanbury. It would make quite a talk. There was linoleum on the floor instead of a carpet, and there was very little ease about the one armchair which her husband had grudgingly allowed her to have up here.
When her husband had heard of what had befallen the unfortunate barber, and how he had been ordered to pack up and leave his shop within a few hours, he had said roughly: "Fröhling is a fool! I told him to take out his certificate. He refused to do it, so now of course he will have to go. Witanbury has no use for that man!" And now Mr. and Mrs.
"Then you had better arrange to stop here. There are plenty of people in Witanbury who would be only too glad to have such an excellent help as you are, Frau Bauer." "I shall not be compelled to look out for a new situation," she said quickly. "My young lady would never allow that neither would Mrs. Otway!" But even so, poor Anna felt disturbed disturbed and terribly disheartened.
And then, choosing a rather devious route, skirting the fine old Council House, which is the most distinctive feature of Witanbury Market Place, he hurried back to his big stores. Mrs. Otway opened the wrought-iron gate of the Trellis House with a feeling of restful satisfaction; but there, in her own pretty, peaceful home, a not very pleasant surprise awaited her.
Haworth was one of those rare and wise men who never preach a long sermon the whole congregation rose to their feet and sang "God Save the King." This golden feeling of security, of happy belief that all was, and must be, well, lasted till the following afternoon. And the first of the dwellers in Witanbury Close to have that comfortable feeling shattered shattered for ever was Mrs. Otway.
But the big local builder, the man who later promoted the election of Manfred Hegner on to the City Council, bore down all opposition, and a group of charming old gabled houses houses that were little more than cottages, and therefore perhaps hardly in keeping with the Market Place of so prosperous a town as was Witanbury had been pulled down, and the large Stores had risen on their site.
She had not meant to keep up her subscription, small though it was, after her return to England, but rather to her disgust she had found that one of the few Germans she knew in Witanbury represented the League, and that her name had been sent to him as that of a new member. Twice he had called at the tradesmen's entrance to the Trellis House, and had demanded the sum of one shilling from her.
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