w？〃
〃Thirty…three；〃 Katherine told her。
〃Well；〃 remarked Miss Viner doubtfully； 〃that's not so very bad。 You've lost your first freshness； of course。〃
〃I'm afraid so；〃 said Katherine； much entertained。
〃But you're a very nice girl；〃 said Miss Viner kindly。 〃And I'm sure there's many a man might do worse than take you for a wife instead of one of these flibbertigibbets running about nowadays showing more of their legs than the Creator ever intended them to。 Good…bye； my dear； and I hope you'll enjoy yourself； but things are seldom what they seem in this life。〃
Heartened by these prophecies； Katherine took her departure。 Half the village came to see her off at the station； including the little maid of all work； Alice； who brought a stiff wired nosegay and cried openly。
〃There ain't a many like her；〃 sobbed Alice when the train had finally departed。 〃I'm sure when Charlie went back on me with that girl from the Dairy； nobody could have been kinder than Miss Grey was； and though particular about the brasses and the dust； she was always one to notice when you'd give a thing an extra rub。 Cut myself in little pieces for her； I would； any day。 A real lady； that's what I call her。〃
Such was Katherine's departure from St Mary Mead。
Chapter 8
LADY TAMPLIN WRITES A LETTER
〃Well；〃 said Lady Tamplin； 〃well。〃
She laid down the continental Daily Mail and stared out across the blue waters of the Mediterranean。 A bra