They met daily, and daily exchanged very much the same remarks concerning the weather, the garden, the vicar's last sermon.

When they talked about anything else, they spoke of books, of which the squire lent Mrs.Goddard a great number.

But this was a subject which did not interest Nellie very much; she was not by any means a prodigy in the way of learning, and though she was now nearly eleven years old was only just beginning to read the Waverley novels.

On one occasion she remarked to her mother that she did not believe a word of them and did not think they were a bit like real life, but the momentary fit of scepticism soon passed and Nellie read on contentedly, not omitting however to watch her mother in order to find out, as her small mind expressed it, "whether mamma really liked that nice Mr.
Juxon." Events were slowly preparing themselves which would help her to come to a satisfactory conclusion upon that matter.
Mr.Juxon himself was in a very uncertain state of mind.

After knowing Mrs.Goddard for six months, and having acquired the habit of seeing her almost every day, he found to his surprise that she formed a necessary part of his existence.