about his father, which made him resolute to tarry until he saw the old
gentleman in a manner provided for.

Some perverse whimsy of mine had made me careful never to be left alone
in Harry's company since that talk with him by moonlight in the orchard.
It's no wonder that I so perfectly recollect all the sayings and doings
of that day, for it was a fateful day indeed to some of our little
company. But the things that dwelt most constantly in my memory, to the
shutting out of weightier matters, were Harry's looks and words on my
saying I would be as a daughter to Mr. Truelocke. There was small need
to bid me think well of them; I thought of them whether I would or no,
all the while telling myself that I was a poor fool for brooding over
such airy trifles; that I had not known aught of Harry, nor he of me,
six months before; and that I deserved whipping for fancying he could
mean anything serious. And so, between a kind of fear and a good deal of
pride, I tried, as I have said, to avoid any private talk with him; and
I succeeded pretty well. But Harry's blunt, plain-spoken ways
overmatched me after all.

The first evening after Mr. Truelocke had come to the Grange--I cannot
say, after we had him settled there, for he was mightily unsettled--he
was not able to rest in the room we had fitted for his study, and so
came to sit among us in the hall, seeming to please himself with
watching our occupations, as he sat in his great chair. Andrew was
writing somewhat at his desk; Althea had some sewing; and I was having a
lesson from Aunt Golding in the right use of the little flax-wheel; for
I had taken an extraordinary fancy for spinning, and our aunt encouraged
me in it, and took pains to teach me, saying I was an apt scholar. Thus
we were busied when Harry came in and sat down among us.