Taken separately , her features were good . Her nose was large and straight , the mouth also a trifle large but firm and red , the brow wide and white , shadowed by a straying dash of brown curl or two . She had a certain cool , statuesque paleness , accentuated by straight , fine , black brows , and her eyes were a bluish grey ; but the pupils , as I afterward found out , had a trick of dilating into wells of blackness which , added to a long fringe of very dark lashes , made her eyes quite the most striking feature of her face . Her expression was open and frank , and her voice clear and musical without being sweet . She looked about twenty-two . At the time I did not fancy her appearance and made a mental note to the effect that I would never like Miss Ashley . I had no use for cool , businesslike women -- women should have no concern with business . Nellie would never have troubled her dear , curly head over it . Miss Ashley came out with her arms full of packages , stowed them away in the carriage , got in , told me which road to take , and did not again speak till we were out of the village and driving along a pretty country lane , arched over with crimson maples and golden-brown beeches . The purplish haze of a sunny autumn day mellowed over the fields , and the bunch of golden rod at my companion 's belt was akin to the plumed ranks along the fences . I hazarded the remark that it was a fine day ; Miss Ashley gravely admitted that it was . Then a deep smile seemed to rise somewhere in her eyes and creep over her face , discovering a dimple here and there as it proceeded . `` Do n't let 's talk about the weather -- the subject is rather stale , '' she said . `` I suppose you are wondering why on earth Mother had to drag you away out here . I tried to show her how foolish it was , but I did n't succeed . Mother thinks there must be a man at the head of affairs or they 'll never go right . I could have taken full charge easily enough ; I have n't been Father 's ` boy ' all my life for nothing . There was no need to take you away from your business . '' I protested . I said I was going to take a vacation anyway , and business was not pressing just then .
I also hinted XXXXX , while I had no doubt of her capacity , she might have found the duties of superintendent rather arduous .
along as at by for from of over that without