"Twenty-eight."
"And you think that at twenty-eight—or indeed at any age—you've got enough wisdom to make yourself necessary to a whole village? My dear child, no one's ever necessary to anybody else's welfare really."
"But it's so cowardly to give up at the first difficulty."
Sarah smiled again, and plucked an anemone before she answered.
"There are more sorts of courage than one, Mary, and perhaps the rarest kind of all is the courage that can give way graciously when it's too late to fight any more. I couldn't do it myself, but I know."
"But I've paid for my right to Anderby!"
"And you think because you've paid you can expect your money's worth? Why, I thought you were less of a child than that."
From the tennis court across the hedge came a girl's clear voice. "Look out! That'll be a love set if you're not careful, David!"
Mary turned upon Sarah with sudden anger.
"Did you? Well, then, you were mistaken. This is all just a conspiracy. You're all against me because you're jealous. You're out of things yourselves and don't want anyone else to be in them. Well, you'll see. I'll keep Anderby and I'll fight it out and I'll take care of John so that he'll be all right and you'll all see what fools you've made of yourselves. I'm sorry to sound rude, Sarah, but I've made up my mind."