I felt that I would be very lonely without Nellie when I was away , and she admitted frankly that she would miss me awfully . She looked so sweet that I was on the point of asking her then and there to marry me . Well , fate interfered in the guise of a small brother , so I said goodbye and left , mentally comparing her to my idea of Miss Augusta Ashley , much to the latter 's disadvantage . When I stepped from the train at a sleepy country station next day I was promptly waylaid by a black-eyed urchin who informed me that Mrs. Ashley had sent him with an express wagon for my luggage , and that `` Miss Gussie '' was waiting with the carriage at the store , pointing down to a small building before whose door a girl was trying to soothe her frightened horse . As I went down the slope towards her I noticed she was tall -- quite too tall for my taste . I dislike women who can look into my eyes on a level -- but I had to admit that her form was remarkably symmetrical and graceful . She put out her hand -- it was ungloved and large , but white and firm , with a cool , pleasant touch -- and said , with a composure akin to indifference , `` Mr. Carslake , I presume . Mother could not come to meet you , so she sent me . Will you be kind enough to hold my horse for a few minutes ? I want to get something in the store . '' Whereupon she calmly transferred the reins to me and disappeared . At the time she certainly did not impress me as pretty , yet neither could I call her plain . 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 XXXXX 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 .
At as by for in into of to with without