The Carved Cupboard | Page 5

lightly, 'We shan't forget your verses, Nannie; and though I'm afraid

none of us will ever grow into such a saint as yourself, it won't be for
want of an example before us. Now may we turn to business? Jacob has
gone, and we must bestir ourselves. I have cut out an advertisement
from the Morning Post, which I think sounds tempting. And as Agatha
seems so slow in making up her mind, I think I shall take the train
to-morrow morning and go and inspect the place myself. Doesn't it
sound as if it ought to suit us? "To Let. An old-fashioned cottage
residence, four bedrooms, two attics, three reception-rooms,
well-stocked fruit and vegetable garden. Owner called abroad suddenly;
will let on reasonable terms!"'
'Where is it?' asked Elfie.
'Hampshire. I wrote to the agent who advertises, and he said the rent
would be about 40 pounds. It is close to some pine woods, and only
three miles from a town. It sounds nice, I think; at any rate, it is worth
seeing about.'
'Do you like old-fashioned cottage residences?' said Clare very
dubiously; 'they always remind me of rotten floors, rats and mice, and
damp musty rooms.'
I hate modern villas,' retorted Gwen, 'with gimcrack walls and smoky
chimneys and bad drainage! This has an old-world sound. Let us, if we
live out of town, choose an Arcadia, with nothing to remind us of the
overcrowded suburbs. Are you willing I should go, Agatha, and come
back and report the land?'
Yes,' said Agatha; 'better you should do it than I, for what suits you will
suit me, but what would suit me might not suit you. We will talk it over
when you come back.'
And so it was settled; and after an early breakfast next day, Gwen
started on her quest.
She did not come back till between seven and eight o'clock in the
evening, and seemed so tired that Agatha insisted upon her eating a
good dinner before she gave an account of herself. Then, rested and

refreshed, she came into the drawing-room and settled herself in a
comfortable chair by the fire to give her experiences.
'I really think it will do,' she began. 'I arrived at the station about twelve
o'clock, and walked out the three miles, to see what the country was
like. Brambleton is a clean, empty little town, with no one in the streets
but a few tottering old men and children, a few good shops, and there is
a market every Friday. I walked along the high road for a couple of
miles, then turned up a lane with a ragged piece of common at the end
of it, passed one or two nice houses standing back in their own grounds,
a little country church with parsonage adjoining in the orthodox fashion,
a cluster of thatched cottages, and finally came to the "cottage
residence."'
'Is it in a village street?' asked Agatha.
'No, not exactly. It is in a side road leading to a farm. It is a low white
house with a great box hedge hiding it from the road, and a
stone-flagged path leading up to the door. A blue trellis verandah runs
right round it, which I rather liked, and a row of straw bee-hives in
front delighted me. There was an old woman in charge, who showed
me all over, and talked unceasingly.'
'Now describe the rooms exactly,' said Elfie eagerly; 'and did the house
smell musty and damp?'
'No, I shouldn't say it was at all damp; of course rooms that have been
shut up always seem fusty and close. It is a little place; you must not
think the rooms are anything like this. On one side of the door is a long
low room, the width of the house, with a window at each end; the other
side of the passage there are two smaller rooms; the kitchens, etcetera,
lie out at the back; and the stairs go up in the middle of the passage.
Four fair-sized bedrooms are above, and the two attics are quite
habitable. The back of the house has the best view; it overlooks a hill
with a cluster of pines, and woods in the distance. Fields are round it,
but the back garden has a good high brick wall, with plenty of fruit
trees, and all laid out as a kitchen garden. The front piece is in grass,
with a dear old elm in the corner.'

I don't like the sound of the box hedge,' said Agatha thoughtfully; 'it
seems so shut in, and very lonely, I should say.'
'Of course we shall not have many passers-by, except the carters to and
from the farm; but if you are in the country, what can you expect? We
can cut down