She laughed a good deal, though her
sense of humour was none of the finest, and she was far too practical to
possess any imagination. In short, as she herself expressed it, she was
sensible; and, being so, she had small sympathy with her sister-in-law's
foolish sentimentalities, which she considered wholly out of place in the
everyday life at the farm.
Not that Dot ever dreamed of confiding in her. She sheltered herself
invariably behind a reserve so delicate as to be almost imperceptible to
the elder woman's blunter susceptibilities. But she could not always hide
the fineness of her inner feelings, and there were times when the two
clashed in consequence. The occasions were rare, but Adela had come to
know by experience that when they occurred, opposition on her part was of
no avail. Dot was bound to have her way when her soul was stirred to
battle for it, as on the day when she had refused to let Robin, the dog,
be chained up when not on duty with the sheep. Adela had objected to his
presence in the house, and Dot had firmly insisted upon it on the score
that Robin had always been an inmate as the companion and protector of
her lonely hours.
Adela had disputed the point with some energy, but she had been
vanquished, and now, when Dot asserted herself, she seldom met with
opposition from her sister-in-law. It was practically impossible that
they should ever be fond of one another.
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