As she neared the top of the hill, she spied the figure of Lilla bustling down, and a new light came into her eyes. If she could not have a new hat, she could have some fun with Lilla, and she greeted her cousin so loudly and lovingly that Lilla looked round for a retreat.
“Come in here and have some tea,” she said, indicating the shop where they had met on that October evening when Hannah first saw Mr. Blenkinsop, and Hannah followed her into the most secluded corner.
“I’ve been wanting to see you,” Lilla said.
“You don’t look a bit pleased, dear,” Hannah said sadly.
“I’m not pleased, but I wanted to tell you that I wish you’d mind your own business and leave me to mind mine. I don’t need instructions about how to behave, Hannah, and your letter was quite unnecessary.”
“Not instructions, dear—only hints. You told me I was to bark when necessary, so I barked. You put me in that house to take care of Mr. Corder, and I’m trying to do it. I thought you’d be glad. Are you paying for this tea, or am I?”
“Never mind about that. I want to get to the bottom of this affair of Howard’s.”
“But I do mind, Lilla. If it’s me, I’m having a bun. If it’s you, I’ll have buttered toast to start with.”
“Have anything you like,” Lilla said grandly. “I suppose that boy is running away from trouble, but of course his father wouldn’t admit it. He talked a lot of rubbish about temperament and the open air, and I did my best to make things easy for him, but he ought to have trusted me. I’ve a great respect for Robert Corder—”
“Nothing to what he has for you,” Hannah said feelingly. “I really believe the only thing that worried him about Howard was the fear that you would be hurt. He has a noble character, Lilla.”
“H’m,” Lilla said. “I’m not satisfied, but I must say he seemed anxious to return the money I’d spent. Where he’s going to get it from, I don’t know and, if he can pay it back, it seems to me that he can’t have needed it. And that’s not a pleasant thought.”
“Then don’t think it. Just remember that you’re a lucky woman. If Mr. Corder admired me as he admires you—”
“Now don’t begin getting sentimental, Hannah. It’s no good. He thinks you’re a capable woman, but there he stops. I took care to find that out.”
“Oh, did you?”
“Yes, I did. There’s too much nonsense about him in the chapel already, and really, Patsy Withers made me feel quite ashamed at my party. What with her and Mr. Pilgrim—”
“What was she doing?” Hannah asked quickly. “I didn’t notice her.”
“No,” Lilla said drily, “you were too busy monopolising Mr. Blenkinsop, and I may tell you that Mr. Corder saw it. It wasn’t fair, Hannah, with so many girls in the room.”
“I couldn’t help it, dear. I’ve a fatal sort of attraction for him. Why is it do you think? I was the belle of the ball for Mr. Blenkinsop there isn’t a doubt.”
“I invite young men for the sake of the girls, not for you to sharpen your wits on, but if I’d known, as Mr. Corder tells me, that he’d left the chapel, I shouldn’t have invited him at all. And he wouldn’t have been missed, as it happened, and that was your fault. Do you know where he goes?”
“Goes?” said Hannah.
“What place of worship?”
“Oh, here and there; here and there. He wants to take me with him on Sunday.”
“Stuff!” Lilla said, but she said it doubtfully. “Well, Mr. Pilgrim isn’t likely to get him, after the exhibition he made of himself—and that was Ernest’s fault. What did you think of him?” she asked, and her bright eyes sharpened a little. “He told me he’d seen you before, Hannah, and he seemed curious about you.”
“Naturally,” Hannah said easily. “I’ll never get you to understand that I’m a noticeable character.”
“And he used to live in your part of the country,” Lilla went on, “but as you haven’t lived there for years—” she sighed. “I wish I could feel more comfortable about you.”
“Don’t try,” Hannah said. “I haven’t split on you yet.”
“I’m thinking of your own good, Hannah. I didn’t like the man’s manner at all. If there’s anything I ought to know, you’d better tell me.”
Hannah shook her head. “I won’t betray him.”
“Him?” Lilla cried.
Hannah smiled in the way Wilfrid loved and Lilla distrusted.
“It hasn’t occurred to you that he might be nervous about his own little secrets, I suppose?”
XXXIII
Wilfrid was to return that evening and,
