The owner of the ringlets answered not, but turning the front view of them full upon Fleda seemed to intimate that she was ready to act as her guide. She hinted however that the rooms were very airy in winter and that Fleda would stand a better chance of comfort where she was. But this Fleda would not listen to, and followed her adviser to the half warmed and certainly very airy apartment which had been got ready for her. It was probably more owing to something in her own appearance than to Mr. Carleton's word of admonition on the subject that her attendant was really assiduous and kind.
"Be you of this country?" she said abruptly, after her good offices as Fleda thought were ended, and she had just closed her eyes.
She opened them again and said "yes."
"Well, that ain't in the parlour, is he?"
"What?" said Fleda.
"One of our folks?"
"An American, you mean?--No."
"I thought he wa'n't--What is he?"
"He is English."
"Is he your brother?"