ButAlicetroubledher。NotbutthatAlicewaskindnessitselftotheman，either。Itwasonlyapeculiarsomethingalmostlikefear，orconstraint，thatBillythoughtshesawinAlice’seyes，sometimes，whenArkwrightmadeaparticularlyintimateappeal。TherewasCalderwell，too。He，also，worriedBilly。ShefearedhewasgoingtocomplicatemattersstillmorebyfallinginlovewithAlice，himself；andthis，certainly，Billydidnotwantatall。Asthisphaseofthematterpresenteditself，indeed，BillydeterminedtoappropriateCalderwellalittlemoreexclusivelytoherself，whenthefourweretogether，thusleavingAliceforArkwright。Afterall，itwasratherentertaining——thisplayingatCupid’sassistant。
Ifshe_could_nothaveBertramallthetime，itwasfortunatethattheseoutsideinterestsweresopleasurable。
MostofthemorningsBillyspentinthekitchen，despitetheremonstrancesofbothPeteandEliza。
Almosteverymeal，now，wasgracedwithapalatablecake，pudding，ormuffinthatBillywouldproudlyclaimasherhandiwork。Petestillservedattable，andmadestrenuouseffortstokeepupallhisoldduties；buthewasobviouslygrowingweaker，andreallyseriousblunderswerebeginningtobenoticeable。Bertramevenhintedonceortwicethatperhapsitwouldbejustaswelltoinsistonhisgoing；buttothisBillywouldnotgiveherconsent。EvenwhenonenighthispooroldtremblinghandsspilledhalfthecontentsofasoupplateoveranewandcostlyeveninggownofBilly’sown，shestillrefusedtohavehimdismissed。
Why，Bertram，Iwouldn’tdoit，’shedeclaredhotly；andyouwouldn’t，either。He’sbeenheremorethanfiftyyears。Itwouldbreakhisheart。He’sreallytooilltowork，andIwishhewouldgoofhisownaccord，ofcourse；butI