"What was he thinking?", I was asking myself continually as I was approaching Miss Fellow's estate. "Our ways will meet again - this sounds like a sure matter. He probably did not mean it. Still, as I know him, it probably was just another thought of his, one of the hundreds that come in his mind at any time of the day."
"He must have known that he would leave me this confused, there is no other way that this could make sense!" This was the last thing on my mind before I knocked at Miss Fellow's door. A servant let me in and he quickly left to announce my presence there. "This is very unusual, I am never announced to anyone, anywhere! Something must have happened and I have no clue."
This strange 'something' proved itself to be the arrival of another guest. I found out when entering the room in which Miss Fellow and the stranger were sitting. The breakfast had ended and apparently Miss Fellow was engaged in a discussion about it with a young woman, that seemed very pleasant and friendly. At seeing me, the host jumped up of her seat and hurried herself to introduce us.
"Miss Gloom, my dear Miss Gloom, do let me introduce you to my new friend, Miss Hatred!"
"New friend?!", I thought. "Since when do people invite new friends to breakfast?!"
The new friend came to me in the same hurried manner as Miss Fellow and, revealing a high-pitched voice, with something artful in it, she grabbed my hands and said, "Miss Gloom, is it? Miss Gloom, it is a great honour to meet you at last!"
She enjoyed pronouncing the vowels louder, which made her even more hilarious than she was.
This Miss Hatred - whose name was very strange to me, since her manners seemed friendly - was a short, plump young woman, whose face was in constant blush and in whose eyes could be seen a feeling of either hostility or friendliness, no in between. I imagined that we should be friends, since Miss Fellow had clearly wanted us to, introducing me in so excited a manner.
After being seated, Miss Fellow instantly began talking about her:
"Miss Gloom, let me tell you about our new acquaintance. She is little of a new acquaintance to me, I think, for I already know a thing or two about her."
While hearing this, I could not help myself from looking doubtfully at Miss Hatred. Something was unsure to me, but I decided at last to just sit and watch her.
"She is the daughter of Sir Hatred, a very renowned and wealthy gentleman in her county. She does not live here, of course; she has told me that her father owns five large estates in that county, can you imagine, five estates? Miss Gloom, it must be really hard to own all of that! As I was telling you, she is a single child, in possession of twenty thousand pounds -"
"Two-and-twenty!", the other said.
"Twenty-two thousand pounds, no one can be that rich, that is impossible!", I said to myself. I let them continue, knowing that not a single word was true. Her face was not one of those pale, noble faces that I knew very well to belong to extremely rich people. Hers rather belonged to a peasant that thought too ill of herself to tell people the truth.
"And she arrived today, I found her knocking at my door; she asked me where to find a decent inn to spend a week in."
"I beg your pardon, Miss Fellow; why don't you let her tell me all of these?"
"Oh, she is very pleased when others talk about her! Is it not the noblest thing you have ever heard?"
"Rather the most unbelievable," I mumbled, covering my mouth as if I were coughing. "Do continue!"
All of this time Miss Hatred stayed silent, watching me as I watched her. She knew I didn't believe her story. I knew she knew; how could I ever trust this exposure about a stranger? It was written in her eyes that she couldn't be thus.
"And she was just looking for a friend, so I welcomed her and invited her to breakfast. We should have some tea before lunch, don't you think?"
"As a matter of fact," I began, as if excusing myself for the intrusion, "I came here to tell you something privately. It would make no sense if I continued my stay, so I bid you good-bye for now; it's been a great pleasure to meet you, Miss Hatred!"
"...But you must stay, Miss Gloom!", I heard the host say. It was too late, for I was already walking on the streets. "Miss Hatred, whoever is that, is a very unwanted acquaintance!", I said, loudly enough as to be heard by anyone that passed near me.
Suddenly, I heard Mr Hope say, out of nowhere, "Miss Hatred? Who is that?"
I turned to face him. He was smiling. Hm, strange.
"Just someone I just wish I hadn't met."
"Is she that woman that just quit Miss Fellow's? The one that stops by that expensive carriage?"
It was her, indeed. I turned and saw Miss Hatred wave her hand until Miss Fellow closed the door; she at once started walking towards the side of the street we were standing on, and I immediately grabbed Mr Hope's arm and fixed my bonnet so as my face would not be recognized.
"What are you doing now?", he asked me.
"Just walking after breakfast, and you are joining me."
"Very well, I guess," he said; "has she done you any wrong?", he then added.
"Yes, I find her very unpleasant and would rather you didn't ask me so much at once."
He turned his head so as to find if Miss Hatred could be seen. "She has disappeared, I am afraid that your diversion has reached its end."
Saying this, he left and took a narrow alley on the left.
"Very kind, and he wouldn't even bow or say good-bye! Very gentlemanlike manners he truly possesses!"
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