“I’m a-telling of you! She’s Mr. Chirk’s mare, and she shakes hands for carrots! You arsts her what she’ll do for it, and she lifts up her right fore—”
“The devil fly away with Mr. Chirk’s mare! Who was the lady in that gig?”
“Oh, her!” said Ben, losing interest. “That was only Miss Nell. She’ll be going to Church.”
“Where does she live? Will she be coming back?”
“Ay, out of course she will! There ain’t no other way she can get home from Crowford, not with the gig there ain’t.”
“Where is her home?”
Ben jerked his chin, vaguely indicating an easterly direction. “Over there. Mr. Chirk’s learnt Mollie to do all sorts of tricks. She—”
“He had best sell her to Astley, then. Does Miss Nell live nearby?”
“I telled you!” said Ben impatiently. “At the Manor!”
“What Manor? Where is it?”