She held out her hand, firm and strong, and he took it in his. Outwardly it was merely a friendly greeting, yet something subtler than light came from her to him. He did not speak for an instant, then he said:
"This is good of you! I did not expect this great pleasure."
Her voice trembled as she said:
"I wanted to be the first to greet you, and besides, papa wouldn't know you."
He smiled for the first time.
"That's true. But it's very early—quite in the small hours."
"Oh, that's nothing; I'm a farmer's girl, you know. But put your valise in, we must be off."
How strong and supple she looked! and how becoming her silk waist and straw hat! She could drive, too. Some way she seemed quite another sort of person here in her own land and in her own carriage. She was so much more composed. "She has imagination," he repeated to himself.
They turned into the road before he spoke again.
"So this is your 'coolly'?"