All these changes in six years!  The almanacs were in the right of it.

But nothing had happened to her.  Gradually she had obtained a sure ascendency over her mother, yet without seeking it, merely as the outcome of time’s influences on her and on her mother respectively.  Gradually she had gained skill and use in the management of her household and of her share of the shop, so that these machines ran smoothly and effectively and a sudden contretemps no longer frightened her.  Gradually she had constructed a chart of Samuel’s individuality, with the submerged rocks and perilous currents all carefully marked, so that she could now voyage unalarmed in those seas.  But nothing happened.  Unless their visits to Buxton could be called happenings!  Decidedly the visit to Buxton was the one little hill that rose out of the level plain of the year.  They had formed the annual habit of going to Buxton for ten days.  They had a way of saying:  “Yes, we always go to Buxton.  We went there for our honeymoon, you know.”  They had become confirmed Buxtonites, with views concerning St. Anne’s Terrace, the Broad Walk and Peel’s Cavern.  They could not dream of deserting their Buxton.  It was the sole possible resort.  Was it not the highest town in England?  Well, then!  They always stayed at the same lodgings, and grew to be special favourites of the landlady, who whispered of them to all her other guests as having come to her house for their honeymoon, and as never missing a year, and as being most respectable, superior people in quite a large way of business.  Each year they walked out of Buxton station behind their luggage on a truck, full of joy and pride because they knew all the landmarks, and the lie of all the streets, and which were the best shops.

At the beginning, the notion of leaving the shop to hired custody had seemed almost fantastic, and the preparations for absence had been very complicated.  Then it was that Miss Insull had detached herself from the other young lady assistants as a creature who could be absolutely trusted.  Miss Insull was older than Constance; she had a bad complexion, and she was not clever, but she was one of your reliable ones.  The six years had witnessed the slow, steady rise of Miss Insull.  Her employers said ‘Miss Insull’ in a tone quite different from that in which they said ‘Miss Hawkins,’ or ‘Miss Dadd.’  ‘Miss Insull’ meant the end of a discussion.  ‘Better tell Miss Insull.’  ‘Miss Insull will see to that.’  ’I shall ask Miss Insull.’  Miss Insull slept in the house ten nights every year.  Miss Insull had been called into consultation when it was decided to engage a fourth hand in the shape of an apprentice.