"This is Fossette," said Sophia, pulling at the chain.
Constance knew not what to reply. Surely Sophia could not be aware
what she did in bringing such a dog to a place where people were
so particular as they are in the Five Towns.
"Fossette!" She repeated the name in an endearing accent, half
stooping towards the dog. After all, it was not the dog's fault.
Sophia had certainly mentioned a dog in her letters, but she had
not prepared Constance for the spectacle of Fossette.
All that happened in a moment. A porter appeared with two trunks
belonging to Sophia. Constance observed that they were
superlatively 'good' trunks; also that Sophia's clothes, though
'on the showy side,' were superlatively 'good.' The getting of
Sophia's ticket to Bursley occupied them next, and soon the first
shock of meeting had worn off.
In a second-class compartment of the Loop Line train, with Sophia
and Fossette opposite to her, Constance had leisure to 'take in'
Sophia. She came to the conclusion that, despite her slenderness
and straightness and the general effect of the long oval of her
face under the hat, Sophia looked her age. She saw that Sophia
must have been through a great deal; her experiences were
damagingly printed in the details of feature.
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