They swung in at the gates of the park in a few minutes, and drove up through meadow-grass, ripening for hay,—­it was no grand aristocratic deer-park this—­to the old red-brick hall; not three hundred yards from the high-road.  There had been no footman sent with the carriage, but a respectable servant stood at the door, even before they drew up, ready to receive the expected visitor, and take her into the drawing-room where his mistress lay awaiting her.

Mrs. Hamley rose from her sofa to give Molly a gentle welcome; she kept the girl’s hand in hers after she had finished speaking, looking into her face, as if studying it, and unconscious of the faint blush she called up on the otherwise colourless cheeks.

‘I think we shall be great friends,’ said she, at length.  ’I like your face, and I am always guided by first impressions.  Give me a kiss, my dear.’

It was far easier to be active than passive during this process of ‘swearing eternal friendship,’ and Molly willingly kissed the sweet pale face held up to her.

’I meant to have gone and fetched you myself; but the heat oppresses me, and I did not feel up to the exertion.  I hope you had a pleasant drive?’

‘Very,’ said Molly, with shy conciseness.

’And now I will take you to your room; I have had you put close to me; I thought you would like it better, even though it was a smaller room than the other.’

She rose languidly, and wrapping her light shawl round her yet elegant figure, led the way upstairs.  Molly’s bedroom opened out of Mrs. Hamley’s private sitting-room; on the other side of which was her own bedroom.  She showed Molly this easy means of communication, and then, telling her visitor she would await her in the sitting-room, she closed the door, and Molly was left at leisure to make acquaintance with her surroundings.

First of all, she went to the window to see what was to be seen.  A flower-garden right below; a meadow of ripe grass just beyond, changing colour in long sweeps, as the soft wind blew over it; great old forest-trees a little on one side; and, beyond them again, to be seen only by standing very close to the side of the window-sill, or by putting her head out, if the window was open, the silver shimmer of a mere, about a quarter of a mile off.  On the opposite side to the trees and the mere, the look-out was bounded by the old walls and high-peaked roofs of the extensive farm-buildings.  The deliciousness of the early summer silence was only broken by the song of the birds, and the nearer hum of bees.  Listening to these sounds, which enhanced the exquisite sense of stillness, and puzzling out objects obscured by distance or shadow, Molly forgot herself, and was suddenly startled into a sense of the present by a sound of voices in the next room—­some servant or other speaking to Mrs. Hamley.  Molly hurried to unpack her box, and arrange her few clothes in the pretty old-fashioned chest of drawers, which