And with Henrietta settled, Rose would at last be free to take that
journey which, like everything else, had eluded her so far. She would
be free but for Sophia who seemed in these days pathetically subdued
and frail; but Sophia, Rose decided, could stay with Henrietta for a
time, or one of the elderly cousins would be glad to take up a
temporary residence in Nelson Lodge.
She was excited by the prospect of her freedom and sometimes, as
though she were doing something wrong, she secretly carried the big
atlas to her bedroom and pored over the maps. There were places with
names like poetry and she meant to see them all. She moved already in
a world of greater space and fresher air; her body was rejuvenated,
her mind recovered from its weariness and when, on an April day, she
came across Francis Sales in one of his own fields, it was a sign of
her condition that her first thought was of Henrietta and not of
herself. He had returned and Henrietta was again in danger, though one
of another kind.
She stopped her horse, thinking firmly, Whatever happens, she shall
not marry him: he is not good enough. She said: 'Good morning,' in
that cool voice which made him think of churches, and he stood,
stroking the horse's nose, looking down and making no reply.
'I've been away,' he said at last.
'I know. When did you come back?'
'Last night. I've been to Canada to see her people. I thought they'd
like to know about her and she would have liked it, too.
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