‘Whatever this man told me, I should believe implicitly,’ she thought within herself, and she smiled welcome to him. Indeed, she did welcome him in her heart. He came as a deliverer. Her thraldom had begun to gall her, when he appeared.
‘Where have you left the countess?’ she asked.
‘At my house. She discovered that she could not walk so far as the others were going, and that she wished to inspect my house and farm and gardens; for she was certain that she could find a great deal to improve in all of them.’
He smiled, and so did Sara, the latter of course being unconscious of the additional remarks made by the candid countess when alone with her favourite guest—remarks which it had required all his tact to receive with an appearance of amused indifference.
‘Ah, she is not fond of walking. You may well ask if I thought this a good place from which to sketch the Dom. I came down here, and then found that I was not inclined to draw. I hope you do not feel that you have been beguiled here on false pretences.’
‘By no means. I am glad you don’t wish to draw; perhaps you will be all the more disposed to converse.’
‘If you will “introduce a subject,” as they did in the old game, I shall be delighted.’
‘I have a subject quite ready. I hope you will not think me very impertinent for introducing it; and if you consider my questions unwarrantable, tell me so, and I will apologise and be silent.’
‘Now I know you are going to ask me questions about myself, which I give you free leave to do. I know of absolutely nothing in my life which I care to conceal.’
‘Then, do you live entirely at Elberthal?’