Aline made up her mind that she would ask Master Menstrie about some of these things; at least, as Audry had said, there could be no harm in hearing both sides and she must judge for herself.
Audry went back after a while to see Master Menstrie; and Aline, when she had been out on the moor for a long time, returned to the Hall as the afternoon sun was getting low. Before going in, she sat down by the moat and looked across at the grey pile. The water seemed to be shallow at that point as though the bank had slipped in and yellow irises were growing at the edge.
Although the bulk of the building was little more than a hundred years old, except the early pele tower that had been built into the structure, time had laid its fingers upon it and it looked very mellow in the afternoon sun. The stone shingles of the roof were covered with golden lichen, while, behind the parapet of the little old tower, a piece of ivy had taken root and hung down through one of the crenellations trailing a splash of green over the grey wall. There was a stern beauty about it and the long line of narrow oilettes in the granary added to the somewhat fortress-like appearance.
As she sat there she saw a small figure approaching; it was Joan.
Aline beckoned to her and she came up shyly and Aline drew her down to a seat at her side. “I am so glad to see you out again, Joan; I do hope this is going to be a real lasting improvement,” she said, taking a little wasted hand in one of her own and putting the fingers of her other hand round the small wrist. “Why, there’s nothing there at all,” she went on, blowing at the hand and letting it fall; “see how easily I can blow it away; why, if I blew hard I should blow it off. You must be quick and get stronger.”
The little maid shook her head sadly.
“And you mustn’t look so doleful either,” and Aline kissed her in the corner of each eye which made Joan laugh.
“There, that’s better; now you must forget yourself and I will tell you a story.”
At that moment Audry appeared on the scene. “Well, you are a pair, you two,” she said, with a kindly sparkle in her merry brown eyes; “you could not raise a spot of colour between you; but, Joan, it’s good to see you out at all, in spite of your pale cheeks. How are you and what did Master Barlow say?”