Part 29 (2/2)

Bernard looked at her rather keenly He was a shrewd judge of men and wo of a sentiht or not When I built Dryholives one, as far as it could be expressed by line But do you like Whitelees?”

”Whitelees is pretty,” Carrie replied with caution

Bernard's eyes twinkled ”Very pretty So new, in fact, after Canada?”

”Yes,” said Carrie, who saanted her to talk She kneas studying her, but he was not antagonistic like Mordaunt and Mrs

Halliday ”This is why I'd sooner have Langrigg, because I don't find Langrigg new in the way youyou talk about in Canada; not in our houses but in the woods They're different fro black pines grow as they want; soales When it's quiet you hear the rivers and now and then a snowslide rolling down the hills”

”Rugged and stern? Well, I i since were rather like your pioneers”

Carrie thought Bernard had so of the spirit of the pioneers; this hy he was like Jith and tenacity, but he did not daunt her

”Why did you ?” she asked

”You don't think an old e a house?” he said ”Well, I built for others whoht come after me, but that is done with” He paused and looked down the table at Mordaunt and Evelyn; and then Carrie iined his eyes rested on Jian to talk to Mrs Winter, who presently reland I kneould be fierce in the jolting cars and on the stealad I let hi?”

”Why, yes I meant to stay at home”

”Ah,” said Bernard, ”I think Jim took the proper line”

”Anyhow, I needed a holiday,” Mrs Winter resu and I've worked hard You folks don't get busy all the tihed ”There are a large nu time I, myself, worked rather hard” He paused and looked down the table with ironical huether forgive ot my reward All approved then”

Mordaunt's face was inscrutable, but Mrs Halliday smiled and Evelyn looked at Jiine he meant mother; they sometimes clash,” she said ”You don't know Bernard yet When you do, you will try to make allowances, like the rest of us”

”In the meantime, it does not seereed ”In fact, his kindness is puzzling

How far would you go to keep his favor?”

”It would depend,” said Ji Of course, I would go no distance if he tried to drive”

Evelyn smiled ”Well, I suppose you can take a bold line If one has pluck, it so to feel one can be oneself No doubt, you all develop your individuality in Canada”

”We are rather an independent, obstinate lot,” Ji in a new country When you leave the cities, you have nobody to fall back on You have got to ood by your oers and trust yourself”

”Ah,” said Evelyn, ”one would like to trust oneself! To follow one's bent, or perhaps, one's heart, and not bother about the consequences”

She was silent a h: ”But unless one is very brave, it's not often possible; there are so hed, but he thought the laugh hid soely refined; Mrs Halliday was conventional and calculating, and the girl rebelled

”I expect our host broke a number of the rules,” he remarked