IV + 

It was extraordinary how much happier she felt at once. Free of that terrible incubus! It wasnтАЩt as though Vernon had lived. Houses and estates were simply white elephants when you hadnтАЩt the necessary money to keep them up properly. + 

She was undisturbed even by a letter from Joe in Paris. + 

How can you sell Abbots Puissants when you know what Vernon felt about it? I should have thought it would be the last thing you could have done. + 

She thought: тАЬJoe doesnтАЩt understand.тАЭ + 

She wrote back: + 

What was I to do? I donтАЩt know where to turn for money. ThereтАЩs been the roof and the drains and the waterтБатАФitтАЩs endless. I canтАЩt go on running into debt. EverythingтАЩs so tiring I wish I were dead.тБатАКтБатАж + 

Three days later she got a letter from George Chetwynd, asking if he might come and see her. He had, he said, something to confess. + 

Mrs.┬аVereker was out. She received him alone. He broke it rather apprehensively to her. It was he who had purchased Abbots Puissants. + 

Just at first she recoiled from the idea. Not George! Not George at Abbots Puissants! Then with admirable common sense he argued the point. + 

Surely it was better that it should pass into his hands instead of those of a stranger? He hoped that sometimes she and her mother would come and stay there. + 

тАЬIтАЩd like you to feel that your husbandтАЩs home is open to you at any time. I want to change things there as little as possible. You shall advise me. Surely you prefer my having it to its passing into the hands of some vulgarian who will fill it with gilt and spurious Old Masters?тАЭ + 

In the end she wondered why she had felt any objection. Better George than anyone. And he was so kind and understanding about everything. She was tired and worried. She broke down suddenly, cried on his shoulder whilst he put an arm round her and told her that everything was all right, that it was only because sheтАЩd been ill. + 

Nobody could have been kinder or more brotherly. + 

When she told her mother Mrs.┬аVereker said: тАЬI knew George was looking out for a place. ItтАЩs lucky heтАЩs chosen Abbots Puissants. HeтАЩs probably haggled less about the price simply because he was once in love with you.тАЭ + 

The remote way she said тАЬonce in love with youтАЭ made Nell feel comfortable. She had imagined that her mother might have тАЬideasтАЭ still about George Chetwynd. + 