"Those were lovely damsons you sent me," she remarked pleasantly to Sarah. "I bottled them at once and they were a splendid colour."
What a blessed comfort to talk of something beside the strike! She took a bite of sugar cake and stretched her long limbs in the cushioned chair. Still nobody spoke.
"It was dusty driving along," she said.
There was a pause.
"I'm glad you were able to get away," Louisa ventured at last. "We were afraid you wouldn't be able to come."
"Why not? We were busy this morning, but one can generally get away in the afternoons before leading time, and a change is rather nice. Besides, it's a long time since we were here—not since John was ill."
"But—when things are rather difficult just now?" suggested Ursula.
"Difficult? What do you mean by difficult?" asked Mary irritably. Of course, if they were going to spoil her respite by hinting and fidgeting, she might as well have stayed at home.
"Well, I didn't know if you would be able to leave, now that you are having trouble on the farm." Ursula stirred her tea meditatively.
"Trouble? Oh, you mean the strike?"