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She looked at him earnestly. "Well! by what?" "I imagine you know, Miss Vancourt! There is only one thing that can ease the burden of life for a woman, and that is love!" She nodded her fair head sagaciously. "Of course! But that is just what I shall never have, so it's no use wanting it. I had better learn to read Greek at once, without delay! When shall I come for my first lesson?"
MY poor mother always taught me to be firm in my convictions. And Miss Vancourt is a designing person. There's no doubt of it. She affects the innocence of a child but I doubt whether I have ever met anyone QUITE so worldly and artful!"
Walden! you must consent to meet some of my London friends here one evening to dinner." She had given him her hand in parting, and he was holding it in his own. "I'm afraid I should be very much in the way, Miss Vancourt," he replied, with a grave smile "I am not a social acquisition by any means! I live very much alone, and a solitary life, I think, suits me best."
Stanways, the agent, and his wife, both of whom had become very friendly with all the villagers, were cheerfully talkative on every subject but one, that of Miss Vancourt and her movements.
Then he said in a low tone: "Good-night, Miss Vancourt good-bye!" At this a cloud of distress swept across her mobile features. "There now!" she said to herself "He's going away and he'll never come to the Manor any more! I intended to make him quite ashamed of himself- -and he isn't a bit! So like a man!
Here, pausing in his reflections, he again looked cautiously round from his high vantage point of view on the ladder, and saw Walden break off a spray of white lilac from one bush of a very special kind near the edge of the lawn, and give it to Miss Vancourt. "Well, now that do beat me altogether!" he ejaculated under his breath.
"Forgive me!" he said, very softly, and paused, till recovering more of his self-possession, he continued quietly "You should not have sent for me, Miss Vancourt! Knowing that I had offended you, I was leaving your house, never intending to enter it again. Why did you summon me back? To reproach me? It would be kinder to spare me this, and let me go my own way!" He waited for her to speak.
"Damn Lady Wicketts and Miss Fosby!" snapped out Sir Morton, this time without any apology "A couple of female donkeys! 'Kind of me to call upon them! God bless my soul! I should think it WOULD be kind! Nobody but a fool would go near them " "They are very pleasant, good women," said Miss Tabitha with severe serenity "Personally, I much prefer them to Miss Vancourt."
It is always the old story 'Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Do not imagine for a moment, John, that I am going to run the risk of losing your friendship by repeating anything that may have been said against the reputation or the character of Miss Vancourt.
Don't you understand? 'No, Passon, sez I, 'I can't say as I do! Then he laughed, but sad like an' went away with his 'ead down as he's got it now. Something's wrong with him an' it's all since Miss Vancourt came. She's a real worry to 'im I 'spect, an' it's true enough the place ain't like what it was a month ago. Yet there's no denyin' she's a sweet little lady for all one can say!"
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