“And what did she say?”
“She didn't say any more. Yes, she asked once again, 'Coming on the 11th, is he?' And I said yes, he was.”
“And then, a couple of days after, you got orders to drive her to the station?”
“Why, yes, it must have been about a couple of days. Well, then, I thought, if Fruen knows about the letter, then Captain surely knows too. D'you know what he said when I brought it in?”
I made no answer to this, but thought and thought. There must be something behind all this. Was she running away from me? Madman! the Captain's Lady at Øvrebø would not run away from one of her labourers. But the whole thing seemed so strange. I had hoped all along she would give me leave to speak with her, since I was forbidden to write.
Falkenberg went on, a little awkwardly:
“Well, I showed the Captain your letter, though you didn't say I was to. Was there any harm in that?”
“It doesn't matter. What did he say?”
“'Yes, look after the machine, do,' he said, and made a face. 'In case any one comes to steal it,' he said.”
“Then the Captain's angry with me now?”