Never had anything been more welcome to the
Squire than the sheen of her hair in the semi-darkness. Mrs.
Gaddesden had once annoyed him by calling it red.
'And the farms?'
'Oh, that I leave you to find out. I shovelled all the letters on to
your table, just as Pamela left them.'
'Pamela!' said Elizabeth, looking up. 'But where is she?'
The Squire held his peace. Mrs. Gaddesden drily observed that she
was staying with Mrs. Strang in town. A bright colour spread in
Elizabeth's cheeks and she fell silent, staring into the fire.
'Hadn't you better take your things off?' said Mrs. Gaddesden.
Elizabeth rose. As she passed the Squire, he said gruffly:
'Of course you're not ready for any Greek before dinner?'
She smiled. 'But of course I am. I'll be down directly.'
In a few more minutes she was standing alone in her room. The
housemaid, of her own accord, had lit a fire, and had gathered some
snowdrops for the dressing table. Elizabeth's bags had been already
unpacked, and all her small possessions had been arranged just as
she liked them.
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