She flushed scarlet and bit her lips, but she took it.
"There are bars to the door within," I said. "Again, good-night."
"Good-night," she answered, and, entering the room, she shut the
door. A moment more, and I heard the heavy bars drop into place.
CHAPTER V IN WHICH A WOMAN HAS HER WAY
TEN days later, Rolfe, going down river in his barge, touched at
my wharf, and finding me there walked with me toward the house.
"I have not seen you since you laughed my advice to scorn - and
took it," he said. "Where's the farthingale, Benedick the married
man?"
"In the house."
"Oh, ay!" he commented. "It's near to supper time. I trust she's a
good cook?"
"She does not cook," I said dryly. "I have hired old Goody Cotton
to do that."
He eyed me closely. "By all the gods! a new doublet! She is skillful
with her needle, then?"
"She may be," I answered. "Having never seen her with one, I am
no judge. The doublet was made by the tailor at Flowerdieu
Hundred."
By this we had reached the level sward at the top of the bank.
"Roses!" he exclaimed, - "a long row of them new planted! An
arbor, too, and a seat beneath the big walnut! Since when hast thou
turned gardner, Ralph?"
"It's Diccon's doing. He is anxious to please his mistress."
"Who neither sews, nor cooks, nor plants! What does she do?"
"She pulls the roses," I said.
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