"Do you think it's funny of me to be living here with Colin?"
He laughed.
"I suppose it's all right. You always had pluck enough for anything."
"It doesn't take pluck to stick to Colin."
"Moral pluck."
"No. Not even moral."
"You were always fond of him, weren't you?"
That was about as far as he dare go.
She smiled her strange smile again.
"Yes. I was always fond of him.... You see, he wants me more than
anybody else ever did or ever will."
"I'm not so sure about that. But he always did get what he wanted."
"Oh, does he! How about Queenie?"
"Even Queenie. I suppose he wanted her at the time."
"He doesn't want her now. Poor Colin."
"You mustn't ask me to pity him."
"Ask you? He'd hate you to pity him. I'd hate you to pity _me_."
"I shouldn't dream of pitying you, any more than I should dream of
criticising you."
"Oh, you may criticise as much as you like."
"No. Whatever you did it would make no difference. I should know it was
right because you did it."
"It wouldn't be. I do heaps of wrong things, but _this_ is right."
"I'm sure it is." "Here's Colin," she said.
He had come out to look for them. He couldn't bear to be alone.
Nanny talked about the war, about the young men who had gone from Wyck
and would not come back, about the marvel of Sutton's living on through
it all, and he so old and feeble. She talked about Colin and Anne.
"Oh, Master Jerrold," she said, "I do think it's a pity she should be
livin' all alone with Mr. Colin like this 'ere."
"They're all right, Nanny. You needn't worry."
"Well--well, Miss Anne was always one to go her own way and make it seem
the right way."
"You may be perfectly sure it is the right way."
"I'm not sayin' as 'tisn't. And I dunnow what Master Colin'd a done
without her. But it do make people talk. There's a deal of strange
things said in the place."
"Don't listen to them."
"Eh dear, I'll not 'ear a word. When anybody says anything to me I tell
'em straight they'd oughter be ashamed of themselves, back-bitin' and
slanderin'."
"That's right, Nanny, you give it them in the neck."
"If it'd only end in talk, but there's been harm done to the innocent.
There's Mr. and Mrs. Kimber. Kimber, 'e's my 'usband's cousing." Nanny
paused.
"What about him?"
"Well, 'tis this way. They're doin' for Miss Anne, livin' in the house
with her. Kimber, 'e sees to the garden and Mrs. Kimber she cooks and
that. And Kimber--that's my 'usband's cousin--'e was gardener at the
vicarage. And now 'e's lost his job along of Master Colin and Miss
Anne."