Some would call it lonelier here." "The wood is here--the fairy wood!" she cried and her sobbing broke forth tenfold more bitterly.
Mrs.Bennett had seen in her day much of the troubles of others and many of the things she had seen had been the troubles of women who were young.

Sometimes it had been possible to help them, sometimes it had not, but in any case she had always known that help could be given only if one asked careful questions.

The old established rules with regard to one's behaviour in connection with duchesses and their belongings had strangely faded away since the severing of her root as all things on earth had faded and lost consequence.

She remembered no rules as she bent her head over the girl and almost whispered to her.
"I won't ask no questions after this one, Miss dear," she said quaking.
"But was there ever--a young gentleman--in the wood ?" "No! No! No! No!" four times again Robin cried it.

"Never! Never!" And she lifted her face and let her see it white and streaming and with eyes which desperately defied and as they defied implored for love and aid and mercy.
The old fairy woman's nutcracker mouth trembled.