"Edward, Edward!" she expostulated. "Must not a woman have a mind? Must it always be the man?"
"I meant nothing ill-natured, Maria. Have you any particular house in view?"
"Several, and I have made out a list of them. I have been to the house agents and have got the keys. I did not wish you to have the bother of it, so I took it all on myself. And here are the orders to view the houses where there are care-takers. Of course we don't want the keys of those houses; all we have to do is to ring."
"How many empty houses are there on your list?"
"Twenty-three."
I repressed a shudder. "And you have the keys of----"
"Eleven. I can get plenty more. We must be careful they don't get mixed up. Perhaps you had better keep them."
"Not for worlds. Do you propose to go over the whole twenty-three to-day?"
"Oh, no, my dear, but we will continue till we are tired. With what I have and what I am promised I dare say it will be a long job before we are suited. Days and days."
"Perhaps weeks and weeks," I suggested faintly.