Part 16 (1/2)
”But I must do my shopping there. I am in such a hurry. It would be dreadful to have to keep anyone waiting only because my house isn't ready.”
”Well, we can try,” said Trudi. ”You will let me go with you, won't you?”
”I shall be more than grateful if you will come.”
”What do you think if we went now?” suggested Trudi, always for prompt action, and quickly tired of sitting still. ”My brother said I might drive into Stralsund to-day if I liked, and I have the cobs here now.
Don't you think it would be a good thing, as you are in such a hurry?”
”Oh, a very good thing,” exclaimed Anna. ”How kind you are! You are sure it won't bore you frightfully?”
”Oh, not a bit. It will be rather amusing to go into those shops for once, and I shall like to feel that I have helped the good work on a little.”
Anna thought Trudi delightful. Trudi's new friends always did think her delightful; and she never had any old ones.
She drove recklessly, and they lurched and heaved through the sand between Kleinwalde and Lohm at an alarming rate. They pa.s.sed Letty and Miss Leech, going for their afternoon walk, who stood on one side and stared.
”Who's that?” asked Trudi.
”My brother's little girl and her governess.”
”Oh yes, I heard about them. They are to stay and take care of you till you have a companion. Your sister-in-law didn't like Kleinwalde?”
”No.”
Trudi laughed.
They pa.s.sed Dellwig, riding, who swept off his hat with his customary deference, and stared.
”Do you like him?” asked Trudi.
”Who?”
”Dellwig. I know him from the days before I married.”
”I don't know him very well yet,” said Anna, ”but he seems to be very--very polite.”
Trudi laughed again, and cracked her whip.
”My uncle had great faith in him,” said Anna, slightly aggrieved by the laugh.
”Your uncle was one of the best farmers in Germany, I have always heard.
He was so experienced, and so clever, that he could have led a hundred Dellwigs round by the nose. Dellwig was naturally quite small, as we say, in the presence of your uncle. He knew very well it would be useless to be anything but immaculate under such a master. Perhaps your uncle thought he would go on being immaculate from sheer habit, with n.o.body to look after him.”
”I suppose he did,” said Anna doubtfully. ”He told me to keep him. It's quite certain that _I_ can't look after him.”
They pa.s.sed Axel Lohm, also riding. He was on Trudi's side of the road.
He looked pleased when he saw Anna with his sister. Trudi whipped up the cobs, regardless of his feelings, and tore past him, scattering the sand right and left. When she was abreast of him, she winked her eye at him with perfect solemnity.