MOTHWISE

Excerpt: ?Marie van Loos, housekeeper at the Vicarage, stands by the kitchen window looking out far up the road. She knows the couple there by the fence?knows them indeed, seeing ?tis no other than Telegraph-Rolandsen, her own betrothed, and Olga the parish clerk?s daughter. It is the second time she has seen those two together this spring?now what does it mean? Save that Jomfru van Loos had a host of things to do just now, she would have gone straight up to them that moment and demanded an explanation. As it was, how could she? There was no time for anything now, with the whole place upside down, and the new priest and his[2] lady expected any minute. Young Ferdinand is already posted at an upstairs window to keep a look-out to seaward, and give warning as soon as the boat is in sight, so that the coffee can be ready the moment the travellers arrive. And they would need it, after coming all the way from Rosengaard, four miles off. Rosengaard is the nearest place at which the steamer calls, and from there they come on by boat."