"But, don't you see, I _must_ live my own life--have a roof-tree of my own?
I can't just sit down comfortably in the shade of yours." "Pushful young woman!" chaffed Geoffrey.

"Well, I can see your mind is made up.

So what are your plans?
Let's hear them." "I thought of taking rooms for a while with some really nice people--gentlefolk who wanted to take a paying guest--" "Poor but honest, in fact," supplemented Geoffrey.
Sara nodded.
"Yes.

You see"-- smiling--"you people have spoiled me for living alone, and as I'm really rather a solitary individual, I must find a little niche for myself somewhere." She unfolded a letter she was holding.

"I thought I should like to go near the sea--to some quite tiny country place at the back of beyond.