Mrs.
Hilyard rose.
"I must be going, too, I think," she said. "But I don't want you to trouble
about driving me back, Miss Lovell. I'll walk."
"It's no trouble at all," Ann assured her. "Tell Billy to bring the cart
round, will you, Robin?"
He nodded, and held out his hand to Mrs. Hilyard.
"Good-bye," he said. "I'd ask you to let me drive you back, but that I've
made an appointment to see one of Mr. Coventry's tenants."
A few minutes later Dick Turpin, somewhat annoyed at being taken out of his
stall just as feeding-time approached, was bearing Ann and her new
acquaintance swiftly along the road towards the Priory.
Mrs. Hilyard was very silent during the first part of the drive. She
appeared absorbed in her own thoughts, and from the expression of her face
one might have hazarded a guess that she was inwardly debating some moot
point. All at once she seemed to come to a decision.
"I think," she said in a quiet, clear voice, "that I must have met this Mr.
Coventry who lives at Heronsmere. I knew an Eliot Coventry--once."
She did not look at Ann as she spoke, but gazed straight ahead as though
the strip of bare, lonely road which stretched in front of them were of
peculiarly vital interest.
Pages:
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163