Women in Love

Breadalby was a Georgian house with Corinthian pillars, standing among

the softer, greener hills of Derbyshire, not far from Cromford. In

front, it looked over a lawn, over a few trees, down to a string of

fish-ponds in the hollow of the silent park. At the back were trees,

among which were to be found the stables, and the big kitchen garden,

behind which was a wood.

It was a very quiet place, some miles from the high-road, back from the

Derwent Valley, outside the show scenery. Silent and forsaken, the

golden stucco showed between the trees, the house-front looked down the

park, unchanged and unchanging.

Of late, however, Hermione had lived a good deal at the house. She had

turned away from London, away from Oxford, towards the silence of the

country. Her father was mostly absent, abroad, she was either alone in

the house, with her visitors, of whom there were always several, or she

had with her her brother, a bachelor, and a Liberal member of

Parliament. He always came down when the House was not sitting, seemed

always to be present in Breadalby, although he was most conscientious

in his attendance to duty.

The summer was just coming in when Ursula and Gudrun went to stay the

second time with Hermione. Coming along in the car, after they had

entered the park, they looked across the dip, where the fish-ponds lay

in silence, at the pillared front of the house, sunny and small like an

English drawing of the old school, on the brow of the green hill,

against the trees. There were small figures on the green lawn, women in

lavender and yellow moving to the shade of the enormous, beautifully

balanced cedar tree.

'Isn't it complete!' said Gudrun. 'It is as final as an old aquatint.'

She spoke with some resentment in her voice, as if she were captivated

unwillingly, as if she must admire against her will.

'Do you love it?' asked Ursula.

'I don't LOVE it, but in its way, I think it is quite complete.' The motor-car ran down the hill and up again in one breath, and they

were curving to the side door. A parlour-maid appeared, and then

Hermione, coming forward with her pale face lifted, and her hands

outstretched, advancing straight to the new-comers, her voice singing: 'Here you are--I'm so glad to see you--' she kissed Gudrun--'so glad to

see you--' she kissed Ursula and remained with her arm round her. 'Are

you very tired?' 'Not at all tired,' said Ursula.

'Are you tired, Gudrun?' 'Not at all, thanks,' said Gudrun.