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 that , while I had no doubt of her capacity , she might have found the duties of superintendent rather arduous . `` Not at all , '' she said , with a serenity that made me groan inwardly . `` I like it . Father always said I was a born business manager . You 'll find Ashley 's Mills very quiet , I 'm afraid . It 's a sort of charmed Sleepy Hollow . See , there 's home , '' as we turned a maple-blazoned corner and looked from the crest of one hill across to that of another .
`` Home '' was a big , white , green-shuttered house buried amid a riot of autumn colour , with a big grove XXXXX dark green spruces at the back .
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