She wanted to be with her and enjoy her surprise when she first saw the restored Hilton on entering the grounds.
In this respect her anticipations were fully justified.
The arrangement of the grounds was such that a high board fence protected the interior from inquisitive passers-by on the highway, and the gate was set in a corner, so that no considerable part of the enclosure was visible from it.

The gravelled driveway, immediately after entering the grounds, took a sharp turn round the corner of the gardener's cottage, which answered for a gatekeeper's lodge.

The moment, however, it was out of sight from the highway it became transformed into a country road, with wide, grassy borders and footpaths close to the rail fences, while just ahead lay the silent village, with the small, brown, one-storey, one-roomed school-house on one side of the green, and the little white box of a meeting-house, with its gilt weathercock, on the other.
As this scene burst upon Mrs.Slater's view, her bewilderment was amusing to witness.

Her appearance for a moment was really as if she believed herself the victim of some sort of magic, and suspected her friend of being a sorceress.

Reassured on this point by Miss Ludington's smiling explanation, her astonishment gave place to the liveliest interest and curiosity.