"I couldn't tell you. The faces that I see never show very clear.
You'm conscious it is this man, or this woman. You know, somehow,
'tis them, but there's always a fog around them. They don't look the
same as what living people look."
"The haunted house that adjoins Mrs. Honeysett's is taken at last,"
he said. "Mr. Chaffe has been up over a good bit putting it to
rights, and they've stripped the ivy and are going to put on a new
thatch. It's a very good house really, though in a terrible state,
so Mr. Chaffe told master."
"I've heard all about it," she answered. "There's a new gardener
come to Buckland Court--a widow man with a young daughter. And he
don't care for ghosts--one of the modern sort, that believe naught
they can't understand. And as they can't understand much, they don't
believe much. So he's took it."
"Harry Ford, he's called," added Lawrence. "A man famous for
flower-growing, I believe."
"I'm glad then. I hate for houses to stand empty."
He asked after Jerry.
"I met your young people back-along, and I'm afraid Miss Jane have
put me in her black books--why for I don't know very well. I suppose
they'll wed come presently?"
Again Mrs. Bamsey was tempted to speak, but felt it wiser not to do
so. She ignored Maynard's first remark and replied to the second.
"Yes; they'll be for it now no doubt. After Easter perhaps; but not
till my husband is strong enough to be at the church and give Jane
away of course. Jerry's come into a bit of money since his father
died. They must have their ideas, but they're close as thieves about
the future. All I can hear is that they be wishful to go away from
here come they're married."
"Folk like to make a change and start life fresh after that."
"I suppose they do."
He talked a little longer and it was impossible for Faith to feel
dislike or anger. Had he come between her son and his betrothed--had
he been responsible for the unhappy break, she would have felt
differently; but she knew that he was not responsible and she
perceived that if he indeed desired to marry Dinah, the circumstance
would solve difficulties only ignored by common consent during her
husband's illness. She had not heard what John said to Dinah in the
sick-room and supposed that now her son must appreciate the
situation, since he had quite ceased to speak of Dinah. His purpose,
avowed in a passion, had not overmuch impressed Dinah herself, for it
was outside reason and she doubted not that Johnny would be ashamed
of such foolish threats in a cooler moment. But, none the less, she
meant to warn Lawrence and now an opportunity occurred to do so.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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