When they came out on the public way it was still beautiful; no dust, and fields and grass and trees all shining.
The road they travelled now was one scarce known to Daisy; the carriages from Melbourne never went that way; another was always chosen at the beginning of all their excursions whether of business or pleasure.

No gentlemen's seats were to be seen; an occasional farmhouse stood in the midst of its crops and meadows; and more frequently a yet poorer sort of house stood close by the roadside.

The road in this place was sometimes rough, and the doctor's good horse left his trot and picked his way slowly along, giving Daisy by this means an opportunity to inspect everything more closely.

There was often little pleasure in the inspection.

About half a mile from the church, Daisy's attention was drawn by one of these poor houses.