He turned aside on to the grass, and then cantered down to the gate. Caroline would have wished to discuss it further before he took the step he had announced, but, although she was on terms of such equality with him, she had never yet questioned a decision of his when he had announced one. His authority, so loosely exercised over his children, was yet paramount.
They rode into the village without exchanging more words, and he dismounted at the Post-Office, while she held his horse.
Worthing came out of the Estate Office, which was nearly opposite, to speak to her. She found it difficult to chat to him about nothing, and to keep a bright face, but he relieved her of much of the difficulty, for he never had any himself in finding words to pass the time with.
"And how's Beatrix getting on?" he asked. "Heard from her since she's been up on the moors?"
"Father had a letter from her this morning," she said. "He wants her home." This, at least, would prepare the way for the unexpected appearance of Beatrix.
"Oh, we all want her home," he said.
Grafton came out of the office, still with the dark look on his face, which was usually so smiling and contented. It cleared for a moment as he greeted Worthing, who had a word or two to say to him about estate matters. Suddenly Grafton said: "I should like to talk to you about something. Give me some lunch, will you? We shall be back about one. Send young Bradby down to us. I'll eat what's prepared for him."
When he had mounted again he said to Caroline, "I'm going to talk it over with Worthing. One wants a man's opinion on these matters, and his is sound enough."
She felt a trifle hurt, without quite knowing why. "If you find it's all right, you're not going to stop it, are you?" she asked.
"How can it be all right?" he asked with some impatience, which hurt her still more, for he never used that tone with her.