"Yes—don't stir, please—ask me anything you like."
"Are you the new owner of my home?"
"I the new owner?" exclaimed Antonia. "Heavens! no! I own nothing except this"—she clasped her colour-box and looked up with a face of ecstacy. "I only want this," she said, "and this," she continued, waving her hand with an impressive sweep which was meant to include both earth and sky.
She claimed a good deal, Nell thought; but, after all, that did not matter, as she had nothing to do with the feud.
"I'm glad you are not the owner," said Nell, "for, if you were, I should have been obliged to leave you."
"Why so?"
"I and the others have sworn it solemnly round a bonfire."
The words were so unusual that Antonia was greatly amused.
"You don't like to leave the Towers, then?" she said.