There was something a little peculiar in her mourning, though Mrs.Ambrose would have found it hard to define the peculiarity.

Some people would have said that if she was really a widow her gown fitted a little too well, her bonnet was a little too small, her veil a little too short.

Mrs.Ambrose supposed that those points were suggested by the latest fashions in London and summed up the difficulty by surmising that Mrs.Goddard had foreign blood.
"I should have called before," said the latter, deeply impressed by the severe appearance of the vicar's wife, "but I have been so busy putting my things into the cottage--" "Pray don't think of it," answered Mrs.Ambrose.Then she added after a pause, "I am very glad to see you." She appeared to have been weighing in her conscience the question whether she could truthfully say so or not.
But Mrs.Goddard was grateful for the smallest advances.
"Thank you," she said, "you are so very kind.

Will you tell Mr.Ambrose how thankful I am for his kind assistance?
Yes, Nellie and I have had hard work in moving, have not we, dear ?" She drew the beautiful child close to her and gazed lovingly into her eyes.

But Nellie was shy; she hid her face on her mother's shoulder, and then looked doubtfully at Mrs.
Ambrose, and then hid herself again.
"How old is your little girl ?" asked Mrs.Ambrose more kindly.