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In Spite Of Myself
by
At the time I did not fancy her appearance and made a mental note to the effect that I would never like Miss Ashley. I had no use for cool, businesslike women–women should have no concern with business. Nellie would never have troubled her dear, curly head over it.
Miss Ashley came out with her arms full of packages, stowed them away in the carriage, got in, told me which road to take, and did not again speak till we were out of the village and driving along a pretty country lane, arched over with crimson maples and golden-brown beeches. The purplish haze of a sunny autumn day mellowed over the fields, and the bunch of golden rod at my companion’s belt was akin to the plumed ranks along the fences. I hazarded the remark that it was a fine day; Miss Ashley gravely admitted that it was. Then a deep smile seemed to rise somewhere in her eyes and creep over her face, discovering a dimple here and there as it proceeded.
“Don’t let’s talk about the weather–the subject is rather stale,” she said. “I suppose you are wondering why on earth Mother had to drag you away out here. I tried to show her how foolish it was, but I didn’t succeed. Mother thinks there must be a man at the head of affairs or they’ll never go right. I could have taken full charge easily enough; I haven’t been Father’s ‘boy’ all my life for nothing. There was no need to take you away from your business.”
I protested. I said I was going to take a vacation anyway, and business was not pressing just then. I also hinted that, while I had no doubt of her capacity, she might have found the duties of superintendent rather arduous.
“Not at all,” she said, with a serenity that made me groan inwardly. “I like it. Father always said I was a born business manager. You’ll find Ashley’s Mills very quiet, I’m afraid. It’s a sort of charmed Sleepy Hollow. See, there’s home,” as we turned a maple-blazoned corner and looked from the crest of one hill across to that of another. “Home” was a big, white, green-shuttered house buried amid a riot of autumn colour, with a big grove of dark green spruces at the back. Below them was a glimpse of a dark blue mill pond and beyond it long sweeps of golden-brown meadow land, sloping up till they dimmed in horizon mists of pearl and purple.
“How pretty,” I exclaimed admiringly.
“Isn’t it?” said Gussie proudly. “I love it.” Her pupils dilated into dark pools, and I rather unwillingly admitted that Miss Ashley was a fine-looking girl.
As we drove up Aunt Lucy was standing on the steps of the verandah, over whose white roof trailed a luxuriant creeper, its leaves tinged by October frosts into lovely wine reds and tawny yellows. Gussie sprang out, barely touching my offered hand with her fingertips.
“There’s Mother waiting to pounce on you and hear all the family news,” she said, “so go and greet her like a dutiful nephew.”
“I must take out your horse for you first,” I said politely.
“Not at all,” said Miss Ashley, taking the reins from my hands in a way not to be disputed. “I always unharness Charley myself. No one understands him half so well. Besides, I’m used to it. Didn’t I tell you I’d always been Father’s boy?”
“I well believe it,” I thought in disgust, as she led the horse over to the well and I went up to Aunt Lucy. Through the sitting-room windows I kept a watchful eye on Miss Ashley as she watered and deftly unharnessed Charley and led him into his stable with sundry pats on his nose. Then I saw no more of her till she came in to tell us tea was ready, and led the way out to the dining room.
It was evident Miss Gussie held the reins of household government, and no doubt worthily. Those firm, capable white hands of hers looked as though they might be equal to a good many emergencies. She talked little, leaving the conversation to Aunt Lucy and myself, though she occasionally dropped in an apt word. Toward the end of the meal, however, she caught hold of an unfortunate opinion I had incautiously advanced and tore it into tatters. The result was a spirited argument, in which Miss Gussie held her own with such ability that I was utterly routed and found another grievance against her. It was very humiliating to be worsted by a girl–a country girl at that, who had passed most of her life on a farm! No doubt she was strong-minded and wanted to vote. I was quite prepared to believe anything of her.