Regiment of Women

rather, if her plans for the spending would ever pass Elsbeth's censorship. She was d

h ran between uneven hedges through a varying countryside of fields and woods and heatherland. Each change in the surroundings represented a month, the smaller differences the weeks and days. She went down this winding lane as the days went by, in slow content. January was a silent expanse of high tableland, snow-bound to the horizon. Winding down hill through the sodden grassland of the bare February country, where she lighted on nothing but early parsnip fronds and sleepy celandine buds in the dripping wickery hedges, she passed at last into the wood of March, a wood of

e daisies and garden roses, always down hill, till she tumbl

ut the beech blossoms could never be gathered; they fell apart into a shower of dull leaves, and left her with a branch of bare twigs in her hand. The briony berries that she twisted into wreaths stained he

dows with a thrill of excitement, and quicken her steps, with the goal of the journey in sight at last. There was yet a weary climb before it was reached; every day of December was a boulder, painfully beclambered. But she would come to the gates at last, and tear up the frosty drive, from the shadow of whose shrubberies Jacob Marley peered and clanked at her and ghosts of Christmas turkeys gobble

xt Christmas be

in the secret fashioning of quaint gifts and surprises, and the anticipation of the small niece's delight in them. Elsbeth would have cheerful

motherhood was denied Elsbeth, sh

up. It took Elsbeth almost as many years to straighten herself again. Years when Alwynne, in the arrogance of her enterprising y

charm of its forerunners, emphasised the change that had taken place. Yearly the ide

rgeous and laborious presents for her aunt. Elsbeth still filled a stocking (out-size) with tip-toe secrecy,

nd simple; the fairy lights stank of tallow; and not even for the sake of a new bright sixpence, wo

at she was growing indifferent, superior, heartless. And Alwynne, trying to appear amused, wondered why Christmas was so different from what it used to be and wished heartily that Elsbeth would not try to be skittish. It didn't suit her-made her seem undignified. Each, longing for the old days, w

sat through the ceremonious meal, answering Elsbeth's cheerful pleasantries in monosyllables; and finally, after an unguarded remark, and the inevitable reproving comment, had flung out of the room in a fever of irritation. She came near thinking Elsbe

r own ill-humour, shocked at the sentiments she had been able to entertain, remorseful at hurting Els

ours, was a strange day to them both, but, at least, a peaceful one, with Alwynne at her gentl

Elsbeth, but she dearly loved a phrase.) Christmas should be a time of social intercourse, of peace and goodwill towards men-the human race-neighbours and friends-not merely relations.... One should not shut oneself up.... It would be a sound idea, for instance, to ask some one to din

r in the position of appearing to approve Clare Hartill. Clare, she felt, had had something to do with that. She knew that it would be unwise to lose the advantage of her apparent tolerance; knew that Clare expected her to lose it by some impulsive expression of mistrust or dislike, and intended to utilise the lapse for her own e

hought it hard that Elsbeth should be, at times, so curiously unresponsive. She would not have scrupled to ask her aunt outright to invite Clare, but she quite

the turkey was

re likely her detection in some absurd child's habit or predilection), she found Elsbeth raging low-voi

n! Really, it's too bad-I wrote so distinctly. It's impossible to return it-to Dev

htedly. But Elsbeth, very busy all of a sudden, with basin

the matter, howeve

l never manage th

some over to Mrs. Marple

hentic calamities which regularly befell her, lured from Elsbeth more than her share of the broken meats and old clothes of the establishment, perquisites which Alwynne, entirely incredulous, coveted for pet dependents of her own. Alwynne's offences, according to Mrs. Marpler, were, the aforementioned incredulity, her hostile influe

s, and as poor Mrs. Marpler says, where

remorselessly. "And last week-and the week before-and the w

r on what I gave them-" retorted Elsbeth heatedly. "But it's

not wish to annoy Elsbeth at this juncture. Clare must take precedence of Mrs. Baker. "Well, you can send them the legs and the ca

severity, "that you would find any one. Most peo

'em in the singular." She blew Elsbeth a kiss. "But if we could find some one-to help us eat up the turk

areful brightness. "I'm sorry.

idn't mean anything," cried Al

ut a tree or anything s

crupulous patience, "it was you

now, I know!" cried

th si

ne re

mean it wasn't nice last year. I only meant-it would be-be a change

hout seeing Clare Hartill?" as

ne di

y well,"

er chair along the table, till she sat at El

re not cross, Elsbeth? It's a

wh

You like her

ans

?" Alwynne's tone w

of her plate still interested Elsbeth. S

uld like to get you two fond of each other, only with Clare so

before you did, Alwynne.

ll-not as I

as you

ou don't know her properly. Oh, Elsbeth, you must share all my

engaged; she

alone-I know, because-

tioned her w

y I happen to kn

cau

k her head m

u won't tell me-

will," cried

or yours either," said Elsbeth huffily. But to hersel

g. Only Clare did ask me to

id Elsbeth

Alwynne's in

you g

ming with careful flatness the

do believe you're jealous!

ing?" repea

s sobered

y own home, with my own Elsbeth," she sai

th me

'm a silly

ll me that o

All right-you can ask your M

e hugg

l! I'll go round at once

he co

y to her bedroom. Elsbeth

do you

nk she'll co

w she'll b

u go and

ou say that-i

own her longer than you have

why?

," cried Elsbeth impatientl