CHAPTER XXIV

“Itgaveherquiteaturn,”saidMr.Wilcox,whenretailingtheincidenttoDollyattea-time.“Noneofyougirlshaveanynerves,really.Ofcourse,awordfrommeputitallright,butsillyoldMissAvery—shefrightenedyou,didn’tshe,Margaret?Thereyoustoodclutchingabunchofweeds.Shemighthavesaidsomething,insteadofcomingdownthestairswiththatalarmingbonneton.IpassedherasIcamein.Enoughtomakethecarshy.IbelieveMissAverygoesinforbeingacharactersomeoldmaidsdo.”Helitacigarette.“Itistheirlastresource.Heavenknowswhatshewasdoingintheplacebutthat’sBryce’sbusiness,notmine.” “Iwasn’tasfoolishasyousuggest,”saidMargaret“Sheonlystartledme,forthehousehadbeensilentsolong.” “Didyoutakeherforaspook?”askedDolly,forwhom“spooks”’and“goingtochurch”summarisedtheunseen. “Notexactly.” “Shereallydidfrightenyou,”saidHenry,whowasfarfromdiscouragingtimidityinfemales.“PoorMargaret!Andverynaturally.Uneducatedclassesaresostupid.” “IsMissAveryuneducatedclasses?”Margaretasked,andfoundherselflookingatthedecorationschemeofDolly’sdrawing-room. “She’sjustoneofthecrewatthefarm.Peoplelikethatalwaysassumethings.Sheassumedyou’dknowwhoshewas.SheleftalltheHowardsEndkeysinthefrontlobby,andassumedthatyou’dseenthemasyoucamein,thatyou’dlockupthehousewhenyou’ddone,andwouldbringthemondowntoher.Andtherewasherniecehuntingforthemdownatthefarm.Lackofeducationmakespeopleverycasual.HiltonwasfullofwomenlikeMissAveryonce.” “Ishouldn’thavedislikedit,perhaps.”