“The village!”—­Theresa put in, with a note of despair this time perfectly genuine.

“Ah, yes—­the village.  But if I take you away, in my fly I mean, that will give you a position, a standing.  It will go far to prevent unpleasant gossip!”

Miss Verity’s soul looked out of her candid eyes with a positive effulgence of charity.

“Oh!  I can enter so fully into your shrinking from all that.  We will treat your going as temporary, merely temporary—­in speaking of it both here and at Paulton Lacy.  Of course, you might stay with your friends, the good Miss Minetts; but I can’t honestly counsel your doing so.  I am afraid Sir Charles might not quite like your remaining in Deadham directly after leaving his house.  It might be awkward, and give rise to tiresome enquiries and comment.  One has to consider those things.—­No—­I think it would be a far better plan that you should spend a week at Stourmouth.  That would give us time to see our way more clearly.  I know of some quite nice rooms kept by a former maid of Lady Bulparc’s.  You would be quite comfortable there—­and, as dinner at Paulton Lacy isn’t till eight, I could quite well go into Stourmouth with you myself this afternoon.  And, my dear friend, you will, won’t you, forgive my speaking of this”—­

Miss Verity—­whose income, be it added, was anything but princely—­gave an engagingly apologetic little laugh.

“Pray don’t worry yourself on the score of expense.  The week in Stourmouth must cost you nothing.  As I recommend the rooms I naturally am responsible—­you go to them as my guest, of course.—­Still I’ll sound my brother at luncheon, and just see how the land lies.  But don’t build too much on any change of front.  I don’t expect it—­not yet.  Later, who knows Meanwhile courage—­do try not to fret.”

And Miss Verity descended the backstairs again.

“Poor creature—­now her mind will be more at rest, I do trust.  I am afraid Charles has been rather severe.  I never think he does quite understand women.  But how should he after only being married for three—­or four years, was it?—­Such a very limited experience!—­It is a pity he didn’t marry again, while Damaris was still quite small—­some really nice woman who one knows about.  But I suppose Charles has never cared about that side of things.  His public work has absorbed him.  I doubt if he has ever really been in love”—­Miss Verity sighed.—­“Yes, Hordle, thanks I’ll wait in the long sitting-room.  Please let Sir Charles know I am there, that I came over to enquire for Miss Damaris.  He is getting up?—­Yes—­I shall be here to luncheon, thanks.”