{"product_id":"2940013684959","title":"That Colony of God","description":"\"Ha, ha!\" laughed Sir Edward Mainwaring, as he recognised by the twist\u003cbr\u003ehe had given to his muscles when peering through the little office\u003cbr\u003ewindow that the gossipy post-mistress had ocular proof at the moment of\u003cbr\u003ethe veracity of at least one of her statements. \"But that girl is not a\u003cbr\u003enative of Monthurst, surely? And there's more than pinky-whiteness, as\u003cbr\u003eyou call it, in her face. She's got something that a woman with good\u003cbr\u003elooks should never be without and that's self-respect, Mrs Gossall.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"If you mean pride, Sir Edward M. Mainwaring,\" snapped the other, \"Hett\u003cbr\u003eBishop's got that in double measure, though her doesn't come anigh\u003cbr\u003eMissus Bishop for stuckuppiness; an' she's no real kin to the girl\u003cbr\u003eneither, on'y her step-mother. Where they come from nobody knows, an'\u003cbr\u003ethough they've lived for the past ten 'ears no farder off the\u003cbr\u003epost-office than you can see, they scarce ever do more than pass the\u003cbr\u003etime o' day when they meet you!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Don't care for village gossip, eh? I see,\" and a shrewd smile would\u003cbr\u003ehave revealed the speaker's unnamed discovery had it not been\u003cbr\u003eeffectually concealed beneath a thick grizzled moustache. \"Well,\" he\u003cbr\u003econtinued, as he seated himself in a Windsor chair, \" there are few\u003cbr\u003ethings more enjoyable to my mind than a good dish of gossip, and I can\u003cbr\u003edo with it fairly spiced, Mrs Gossall!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Bless you, I don't want to be talking to cantankerous creatures wi'\u003cbr\u003emore prickles ner a hedge-hog,\" returned the post-mistress viciously,\u003cbr\u003eher asperity finding additional momentary relief in a sharp swing of her\u003cbr\u003ebody to the right. \"A close woman though I abhor; an' it's my belief,\u003cbr\u003eSir Edward M. Mainwaring, that Missus Bishop wouldn't open her mouth\u003cbr\u003eunless her were so minded - well, not to have a tooth drawed. You may\u003cbr\u003esmile, Sir Edward M. Mainwaring, but I detest that make o' woman - it's\u003cbr\u003ea make I can't an' don't understand. I'm for speaking out my mind\u003cbr\u003ewhether folk like it or not. I let 'em see what I am - plain Jemimer\u003cbr\u003eGossall wi' no pertence about me. I don't set up for being a grand lady\u003cbr\u003etoo proud to speak to my betters.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Of course not,\" remarked the baronet, pacifically; \"You've got more\u003cbr\u003esense. But this Mrs Bishop must be really a very remarkable woman; I've\u003cbr\u003ealways found women, well - only too ready if anything to talk.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Why, that's nature wi' wimmen, Sir Edward M. Mainwaring,\" returned the\u003cbr\u003eother with the air of one accepting a compliment; \"You'd not be for\u003cbr\u003ehaving 'em onnat'ral like Missus Bishop, surely? But what I draw from\u003cbr\u003esuch closeness, such myster'ousness as hers, is that things ain't just\u003cbr\u003ewhat they should be! There's a summat to hide, you may depend upon! It\u003cbr\u003eain't for no good when folk come among you an' won't own to no relations\u003cbr\u003enigher ner Adam an' Eve!\"","brand":"WDS Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47070193058032,"sku":"2940013684959","price":2.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013684959_p0.jpg?v=1763584493","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013684959","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}