It was said that Mr.Legge, the partner, pooh-poohed the idea that Dagworthy was secretly married.

But Mr.Legge might know as little as other people.
There were circles in Dunfield in which another and quite a different myth grew up around the name of Emily Hood.

The Cartwrights originated it.

They too had received a mysterious note of farewell, and their interpretation was this Emily, they held, had gone to London, there to be happily married to a certain Mr.Athel, a gentleman of aristocratic appearance and enormously wealthy.

Mrs.Baxendale heard this story now and again; she neither affirmed nor contradicted.