en. Perhaps now it was too late. She was getting on, past
thirty-seven--romance never came as late as that on Walland Marsh,
unless occasionally to widows. Then, since it was too late, why did she
so passionately long for it?--Why had not her heart grown old with her
years?

Sec.9

During the next few weeks Joanna watched the young romance grow and
sweeten. Ellen was becoming almost girlish again, or rather, girlish as
she had never been. The curves of her mouth grew softer and her voice
lost its even tones--she had moments of languor and moments of a queer
lightness. Great and Little Ansdore were now on very good terms, and
during that winter there was an exchange of dinners and bridge. Joanna
could now, as she expressed it, give a dinner-party with the best of
'em. Nothing more splendid could be imagined than Joanna Godden sitting
at the head of her table, wearing her Folkestone-made gown of apricot
charmeuse, adapted to her modesty by means of some rich gold lace; Ellen
had induced her to bind her hair with a gold ribbon, and from her ears
great gold ear-rings hung nearly to her shoulders, giving the usual
barbaric touch to her stateliness. Ellen, in contrast, wore iris-tinted
gowns that displayed nacreous arms and shoulders, and her hair passed in
great dark shining licks over her little unadorned ears.

Joanna was annoyed because Ellen never told her anything about herself
and Tip Ernley. She wanted to know in what declared relation they stood
to each other. She hoped Ellen was being straight with him, as she was
obviously not being straight with her. She did not think they were
definitely engaged--surely they would have let her know that. Perhaps he
was waiting till he had found some satisfactory job and could afford to
keep a wife. She told herself angrily that if only they would confide in
her, she would help the young pair ... they were spoiling their own
chances by keeping her out of their secrets. It never struck her that
Ernley would rather not be beholden to her, whatever Ellen might feel in
the matter.

His father and mother--well-bred, cordial people--and his maiden sister,
of about Joanna's age, never seemed to see anything remarkable in the
way Ellen and Tip always went off together after dinner, while the
others settled down to their bridge. It seemed to Joanna a grossly
improper proceeding if they were not engaged. But all Mr. and Mrs.
Ernley would say was--"Quite right too--it's just as wel