The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900 ... - Gredos

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
considering that it would be to the Squire's advantage to keep on good terms with him,
he never felt thoroughly sure of that gentleman, and his infatuation for Rachel was such
that he would not risk a quarrel with him until a certain compact that he knew of was
actually signed and sealed. But he was getting very tired of the enforced abstinence, and
was glad to think the necessity for precaution would soon be over. And here, at least, he
need not be too punctilious.
"It's confounded cold. Cousin Fleetwood," he remarked, advancing into the room and
buttoning up his coat. "Do you always keep the windows open here?"
Simon, who had been sitting beside Bertha, rose quickly and apologised.
"We are too busy to sit much in this room in the morning," he said. “I am generally out,
and my aunt
[112]
is occupied in the house, so the windows usually stay open from breakfast till dinner."
"You dine early, don't you," cried Edward, "and mighty sensible, too. They keep
monstrous late hours at the Hall; a man may be starved or parched with thirst, and yet
often they will not sit down before six o'clock. I must own I like the notion of a good
meal in the middle of the day."
"Then will you stay and share ours?" inquired Simon, courteously. "It will be ready in
less than an hour."
"Nay, they expect us back early, I think. But since you're so hospitable, Cousin, we will
not refuse some slight refreshment. I must own that my ride has whetted my appetite."
"If you will excuse me I will see to the matter at once," said Simon. "I cannot think why
my aunt delays so long. Ah, here she comes."
At that moment, indeed, the door opened, and in came Miss Belinda, her face shining
from its recent soaping, and her breath coming quickly, partly from the haste she had
made, partly from nervousness. She curtsied low to both the visitors, starting as her eyes
fell on Bertha.
"If I might make so bold, miss," she said, "and indeed it does seem a liberty, but when
all's said and done she was your own aunt, and blood's thicker than water, as the sayin'
goes. It seems a queer thing to say, and you such an elegant young lady and all, but still