“But it does distress me very much!” exclaimed Anna. “In fact, I do not see now how I can go——” She began to cry. “Are you sure—quite sure—of what you say?”
“Yes, I am quite sure,” he spoke rather grimly. “Well, if you feel in that way, there is nothing more to be said. You will either stay with your present lady, or you will have to go to the Pollits.”
She looked up at him quickly; she was surprised that he remembered her daughter’s married name, but it had slipped off his tongue quite easily.
“Never will I do that!” she exclaimed.
“Then you had better arrange to stop here. There are plenty of people in Witanbury who would be only too glad to have such an excellent help as you are, Frau Bauer.”
“I shall not be compelled to look out for a new situation,” she said quickly. “My young lady would never allow that—neither would Mrs. Otway!”
But even so, poor Anna felt disturbed—disturbed and terribly disheartened. The money she had saved was her own money! She could not understand by what right the British Government could prevent her taking it with her. It was this money alone that would ensure a welcome from the Warshauers. Willi and Minna could not be expected to want her unless she brought with her enough, not only to feed herself, but to give them a little help in these hard times. But soon she began to feel more cheerful. Mrs. Otway and the Dean would surely obtain permission for her to take her money back to Germany. It was a great deal of money—over three hundred pounds altogether.
Within an hour of her return to the Trellis House Anna heard the fly which had been ordered to meet Mrs. Otway at the station drive into the Close. For the first time, the very first time in over eighteen years, Anna did not long to welcome her two ladies home. Indeed, her heart now felt so hurt and sore that when she heard the familiar rumble she would have liked to run away and hide herself, instead of going to the front door.
And yet, when the two came through into the hall, Rose with something of her old happy look back again, and Mrs. Otway’s face radiant as Anna had never seen it during all the peaceful years they two had dwelt so near to one another, the poor old woman’s heart softened. “Welcome!” she said, in German. “Welcome, my dear mistress, and all happiness be yours!”
And then, after Rose had hurried off to Robey’s, Mrs. Otway, while taking off her things, and watching Anna unpack her bag, told of Major Guthrie’s home-coming.