At the same time, Mrs. Gaddesden was firmly persuaded that whatever Elizabeth Bremerton wished or advised would ultimately be done.

What an extraordinary position that young woman now held among them!  Nearly three months had now elapsed since Mrs. Gaddesden’s autumn visit—­since Desmond had gone into training at his artillery camp—­since a third of the park had been ploughed up, and since Elizabeth Bremerton had thrown up her post only to come back next day as dictator.

Yes—­dictator!  Mrs. Gaddesden was never tired of thinking about it, and was excitedly conscious that all the neighbourhood, and all their friends and kinsfolk were thinking and speculating with her.  At the beginning of November, before she and Margaret Strang went back to town, the Squire had announced to all of them that Miss Bremerton had become his ‘business secretary,’ as well as his classical assistant.  And now, after three months, the meaning of this notice was becoming very clear.  The old agent, Mr. Hull, had been dismissed, and moderately—­very moderately—­pensioned.  It was said that Miss Bremerton, on looking into his accounts, saw no reason at all for any special indulgence.  For, in addition to everything else, she turned out to be a trained accountant!—­and money matters connected with the estate were being probed to the bottom that had never been probed before.  Mrs. Gaddesden’s own allowance—­for the Squire had always obstinately declined to settle any capital on his married daughters—­had been, for the first time, paid at the proper date—­by Elizabeth Bremerton!  At least, if the Squire had signed it, she had written the cheque.  And she might perfectly well have signed it.  For, as Pamela had long since reported to her sisters, Elizabeth paid all the house and estate accounts over her own signature, and seemed to have much more accurate knowledge than the Squire himself of the state of his bank balance, and his money affairs generally.

Not that she ever paraded these things in the least.  But neither did she make any unnecessary mystery about it with the Squire’s family.  And indeed they were quite evident to any one living in the house.  At times she would make little, laughing, apologetic remarks to one of the daughters—­’I hope you don’t mind!—­the Squire wants me to get things straight.’  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.’