2Peace lay over Sky Peals now. Even the roaring of autumn winds could not disturb the new and passionless tranquillity. Everything worked like well-oiled clockwork; food was again served at regular and fixed hours (Peter and Nan had been woeful disorganizers of meal-times); the routine of farm and garden labour went on with steady precision; workmen attacked the old Whaleback farm-house and razed it to the ground. And the Manor House, where (so it seemed to Fran) Peter, and Nan might have lived so happily, was sold to a stockbroker who brought his family there for week-ends.
Nan was ill, but not very ill. She was ill enough to stay in bed when she wanted and get up when she wanted. She was just ill enough for Myles to come every day and remark that she was getting along nicely, and for Jo
