"Won't you drive slowly? The jolting has given me a pain in my side."
He was conscious of a new and peculiar sensation there also, though not from jolting. He had been used to that in many ways all his life, but thereafter they jogged forward on a walk through the drizzling rain, and Edith, recovering her breath, and a sense of security, began to asked the questions.
"Do you know where the cottage is that was formerly owned by Mr.
Jenks?"
"Oh, yes, it's not far from our house—between our house and the village." Then as if a sudden thought struck him he added quickly, "I heard it was sold; are you the owner?"
"Yes," said Edith a little coolly. She had expected to question and not to be questioned. And yet she was very glad she had met one who knew about her place. But she resolved to be non-committal till she knew more about him.
"What sort of a house is it?" she asked after a moment. "I have never seen it."
"Well, it's not very large, and I fear it is somewhat out of repair—at least it looks so, and I should think a new roof was needed."
Edith could not help saying pathetically, "Oh, dear! I'm so sorry."
Arden then added hastily, "But it's a kind of a pretty place too—a great many fruit-trees and grapevines on it."
"So I've been told," said Edith. "And that will be its chief attraction to me."