Annewassoflurriedbythemilitaryincidentsattendingherreturnhomethatshewasalmostafraidtoventurealoneoutsidehermother’spremises。Moreover，thenumeroussoldiers，regularandotherwise，thathauntedOvercombeanditsneighbourhood，weregettingbetteracquaintedwiththevillagers，andtheresultwasthattheywerealwaysstandingatgardengates，walkingintheorchards，orsittinggossipingjustwithincottagedoors，withthebowlsoftheirtobacco-pipesthrustoutsideforpoliteness’sake，thattheymightnotdefiletheairofthehousehold。Beinggentlemenofagallantandmostaffectionatenature，theynaturallyturnedtheirheadsandsmiledifaprettygirlpassedby，whichwasratherdisconcertingtothelatterifshewereunusedtosociety。
Everybelleinthevillagesoonhadalover，andwhenthebelleswereallallottedthosewhoscarcelydeservedthattitlehadtheirturn，manyofthesoldiersbeingnotatallparticularabouthalf-an-inchofnosemoreorless，atriflingdeficiencyofteeth，oralargercropoffrecklesthaniscustomaryintheSaxonrace。
Thus，withoneandanother，courtshipbegantobepractisedinOvercombeonratheralargescale，andthedispossessedyoungmenwhohadbeenbornintheplacewerelefttotaketheirwalksalone，where，insteadofstudyingtheworksofnature，theymeditatedgrossoutragesonthebravemenwhohadbeensogoodastovisittheirvillage。
Annewatchedtheseromanticproceedingsfromherwindowwithmuchinterest，andwhenshesawhowtriumphantlyotherhandsomegirlsoftheneighbourhoodwalkedbyonthegorgeousarmsofLieutenantKnockheelmann，CornetFlitzenhart，andCaptainKlaspenkissen，ofthethrillingYorkHussars，whosworethemostpicturesqueforeignoaths，andhadawonderfulsortofestateorpropertycalledtheVaterlandintheircountryacrossthesea，shewasfilledwithasenseofherownloneliness。Itmadeherthinkofthingswhichshetriedtoforget，andtolookintoalittledraweratsomethingsoftandbrownthatlayinacurlthere，wrappedinpaper。Atlastshecouldbearitnolonger，andwentdownstairs。
’Whereareyougoing？’saidMrs。Garland。