"Eleanor--I call her Nellie--is eight years old. She will be nine in
January. She is tall for her age," added Mrs. Goddard with affectionate
pride. As a matter of fact Nellie was small for her years, and Mrs.
Ambrose, who was the most truthful of women, felt that she could not
conscientiously agree in calling hex tall. She changed the subject.

"I am afraid you will find it very quiet in Billingsfield," she said
presently.

"Oh, I am used--that is, I prefer a very quiet place. I want to live very
quietly for some years, indeed I hope for the rest of my life. Besides it
will be so good for Nellie to live in the country--she will grow so
strong."

"She looks very well, I am sure," answered Mrs. Ambrose rather bluntly,
looking at the child's clear complexion and bright eyes. "And have you
always lived in town until now, Mrs. Goddard?" she asked.

"Oh no, not always, but most of the year, perhaps. Indeed I think so."
Mrs. Goddard felt nervous before the searching glance of the elder woman.
Mrs. Ambrose concluded that she was not absolutely straightforward.

"Do you think you can make the cottage comfortable?" asked the vicar's
wife, seeing that the conversation languished.

"Oh, I think so," answered her visitor, glad to change the subject, and
suddenly becoming very voluble as she had previously been very shy. "It
is really a charming little place. Of course it is not very large, but as
we have not got very many belongings that is all the better; and the