Philip meekly supposed that it really was.
'Is it true that Mr Dallas has become the purchaser of the little place—Hill Side isn't it called?—which you can see from some part of the Fairview grounds, Miss Haddon?'
'Yes,' I replied; Philip had bought it.
'It looks a charming little place. But is it large enough?'
I said that Mr Dallas thought it large enough for his means; at which she was amiably anxious to point out the disadvantages of having a large place and the advantages of having a small one.
'A small house is so—cosy—you know, and so—warm in the winter, and all that. I sometimes almost wish I lived in a small way myself; I really do. No one would believe the expense it is to keep up a large place like Fairview; they really wouldn't. And then the trouble of having a large staff of servants! You have no idea what men-servants are in a house—so extravagant and expensive and lazy; it's quite too dreadful, my dear!'
'Really, aunt'—turning to the dear little lady placidly eyeing her—'you are the best off after all, if you could only believe it.'
'I do believe it, Mrs Trafford.'
But that was more than Marian could understand. 'It's very good of you to say so, I am sure, aunt; but perhaps, after all, it does seem like old times to you.'
Mrs Chichester flushed up now and then, a little out of humour, I fancied, at seeing herself thus travestied. But she said very little; indeed during the whole visit she seemed to be absorbed in one idea, so lost in astonishment at my good fortune as to be quite unlike her usual self. She was even impolitic enough to give some expression to her astonishment in a little aside to Lilian, who was quite indignant at the implied ill compliment to me.