would arrive in time. On either side of the track she
followed, Martin's sheep were grazing--that was his land, those were his
dykes and willows, ahead of her were the lighted windows of his house.
She wondered what he would say when he saw her. Would he be much
surprised? She had come to North Farthing once or twice before, but not
very often. If he was not surprised to see her, he would be surprised
when she told him why she had come. She pictured how he would receive
her news--with his arms round her, with his kisses on her mouth.

Her arrival was a check--the formalities of her betrothed's house never
failed to upset her. To begin with she had to face that impertinent
upstart of a Nell Raddish, all tricked out in a black dress and white
apron and cap and collar and cuffs, and she only a cowman's daughter
with a face like a plum, and no sense or notions at all till she came to
Farthing, since when, as everyone knew, her skirts had grown shorter and
her nose whiter and her hair frizzier and her ways more knowing.

"Good evening, Nell," said Joanna, covering her embarrassment with
patronage, "is Mr. Martin at home?"

"Yes, he is," said Nell, "he came back this afternoon."

"I know that, of course. I want to see him, please."

"I'm not sure if he's gone up to bed. Come in, and I'll go and look."

"Up to bed!"

"Yes, he's feeling poorly. That's why he came home."

"Poorly, what's the matter?" Joanna pushed past Nell into the house.

"I dunno, a cold or cough. He told me to bring him some tea and put a
hot brick in his bed. Sir Harry ain't in yet."

Joanna marched up the hall to the door of Martin's study. She stopped
and listened for a moment, but could hear nothing, except the beating of
her own heart. Then, without knocking, she went in. The room was ruddy
and dim with firelight, and at first she thought it was empty, but the
next minute she saw Martin huddled in an armchair, a tea-tray on a low
stool beside him.

"Martin!"

He started up out of a kind of sleep, and blinked at her.

"Jo! Is that you?"

"Yes. I've come over to tell you I'll marry you whenever you want.
Martin dear, what's the matter? Are you ill?"

"It's nothing much--I've caught cold, and thought I'd better come home.
Colds always make me feel wretched."

She could see that he was anxious about himself, and in her pity she
forgave him for having ignored her surrender. She knelt down beside him
and took both his restless hands.

"H