"And he skates beautifully. I only wish we had a frost while he is here."
"Does Mr. Edred Claughton skate too?"
"Not much. He is clumsy compared with his brother."
Dorothea made no immediate answer. The pony was walking slowly uphill, and Dolly seemed to sink into a dream. She woke from it after a while, to find Dorothea attentively studying her.
"I forgot! How stupid of me not to talk!"
"Why?"
"Why, you have only just come."
"But I have not come to be a trouble. I should not like you to feel any 'ought' about talking to me."
"I didn't mean it exactly in that way."
Dolly pulled herself upright, and endeavoured to put on an air of polite interest. "It is such a dull day," she said. "You should see Craye in sunshine."