' But in general, her authority by now had
become a matter of course.
Her position in the Mannering household, however, was as nothing to
her position in the estate and the neighbourhood. That was the
amazing thing which had by now begun to set all tongues wagging. Sir
Henry Chicksands, meeting Mrs. Gaddesden at the station, had poured
himself out to her. 'That extraordinary young woman your father has
got hold of, is simply transforming the whole place. The farmers on
the whole like her very much. But if they don't like her, they're
_afraid of her_! For Heaven's sake don't let her kill herself with
over-work. She'll soon be leading the county.'
Yes. Work indeed! How on earth did she get through it? In
the mornings there she was in the library, absorbed in the
catalogue, writing to the Squire's dictation, transcribing or
translating Greek--his docile and obedient slave. Then in the
afternoon--bicycling all over the estate, and from dark onwards,
till late at night, busy with correspondence and office work, except
just for dinner and an hour afterwards.
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