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"Whom have you taken a dislike to? You've only been there the once."

"Yes, I know, but that was long enough. It's the child's mother."

"Now that doesn't augur good for your stay."

"Oh, I don't think she'll trouble me much in the schoolroom. The nurse indicated that she never

bothered about anything but her painting and horse- riding. And from what I gathered from the talkative old woman when I met her, the mistress took long spells in London and abroad. I also gathered that there was little love between the old nurse and the young mistress, although she's not all that young;

she's over thirty. "

"What exactly has made you dislike her?"

"Everything about her: the tone of her voice, how she looks at one. I didn't tell you, but she surveyed me up and down as a farmer might a beast in the cattle-pen in the market. I fully expected her to prod me." She gave a little laugh here and, leaning towards him, she said,

"Can you imagine the result of that action, should it have happened?"

Nathaniel laughed outright now.

"By! yes, I can, and that would be the end before the beginning of your tutoring. And you would likely have ended up in the House of Correction instead of me, and I've been threatened so many times of late. Now, my dear, whatever you do and whatever the provo cation, you must endeavour to keep your temper."

"But, Dada, I don't feel that I've got a bad temper. Well, what I mean is, not a regular bad temper. I have to be aggravated beyond endurance before ..."

"Oh my! Oh my!" He had his hands on her shoulders now.

"Would that we could see ourselves as others see us. I am a mild man, they say some pity me for my mildness but there was. a time last year when, if I hadn't been checked by your ma, I would surely have laid out Mr. Praggett. But I am a mild man' he shook his head at himself' who prefers to fight with his tongue. But none of us knows what we are capable of until the circumstances arise. It all depends upon circumstances and the feelings they arouse in one. There would be few murders if it weren't for the circumstances leading to them. We'll have to get on to that subject sometime, my dear; circumstances. Ah, there's Ben's whistle. Is that a signal that your golden carriage has arrived? Come on. Come on. And make up your mind, my dear, that the only time you will raise your voice is in laughter or in defence of someone, or extolling someone's good points."

"Oh, Dada, shut up! Stop your preaching." She turned to him and, throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed him, saying, "I love you.

Do you know that? You mild man, I love you." Then, as if in embarrassment, she hurried ahead of him.

It was a young lad who was standing by the gig. He took off his cap as Anna and Nathaniel approached; then said, with a broad Irish accent,

"I'm Barry McBride, miss. I'm for to take you to the house. If you'll get up, if you're ready, we'll be away, 'cos I'm a bit late. I had a bit o' trouble with him." He thumbed towards the horse.

"He's fresh."

Anna glanced from Nathaniel to Maria, who had now joined them, and Ben who was by her side, and she said, "I'll be away, then," and there was just a suspicion of the Irish twang in her words which brought a twinkle to Nathaniel's eyes and he answered, "I would, then. I'd be away with you and not keep Mr. McBride waitin'."

"Oh, sir' the boy turned to Nathaniel " I'm never mistered. I'm just McBride, number two. "

"Oh," said Nathaniel, 'number two? Why number two? "" Cos I'm the second stable lad. Me brother, he's number one. He's by the name of Frank, but we're both called McBride. "

"Oh, I see, I see." Nathaniel nodded as if the explanation had enlightened him. Then putting his hand under Anna's elbow, he said,

"Up! you go then and away."

McBride number two now put his cap on, went round to the other side of the gig and seemed to launch himself up in one movement into the narrow seat beside Anna. As he did so the whole vehicle swayed, and when McBride number two called, "Up! Milligan," the horse seemed to rear slightly before turning around and having to be checked to prevent his going into a gallop.

So quickly did they leave the front of the house and make for the gate that she had no time to wave a goodbye, for it was taking all her attention to hang on to the iron rail support of the seat to keep her balance. But once on the road and going at a steadier pace, she called to him, "Why do you call the horse " Milligan"?"

"What is that you're after sayin', miss?" ; Raising her voice, she cried, "Why do you call the horse " Milligan"? It's a strange name for a horse."

"Oh, that, miss. Well, 'tis the yard's name for him. He's really called Caster, but he's got this fightin' spirit in him. You see, miss? An' the Milligans are like that. There's three of 'em in the pit, Rosier's pit, an' two in the Beulah, an' if they're not at each other they're at anybody that passes their

way, 'specially us. We're kin, you see, by birth, cousins. An' this one here is the spitting image, in his manner, like, of Michael the eldest, who kicks out at his own shadow. He shouldn't be used for the gig at all. But they want to quieten him down, they say, an' there's as much hope for that as the man prayin' for heaven while he's shovellin' overtime in hell. But what's my opinion? for it counts for little in the stableyard. "

Anna hung on tightly to her support, because her body was shaking now, and not only from the motion of the gig, as she thought, Well, whatever happens between times, I'll surely be entertained on my way there and back if I can differentiate between Michael the cousin and Milligan the horse . As they bowled up the long drive, McBride number two said,

"It's me orders to drop you in the back way, miss. I questioned that to number one, you being' a learned lady, and as usual he said for me to keep me gob ... mouth shut, an' use me eyes an' just open me ears for orders. So it isn't me doin', miss, that you be dropped at the back door."

"That's quite all right, Mr. McBride."

"I wouldn't be doing that, miss, as I said back yonder, I mean "

mister" me; they'll scoff me lugs off."

"Very well, I'll remember ... McBride."

"That's it, miss; give everybody his due, nothin' over and nothin'

under, an' the world won't rock."

She mustn't enter even the lower precincts of this establishment laughing, but oh, how she wished her dada or ma or any of them could have been on this journey with her. She looked at the red-haired boy as he helped her down on to the flagged yard, and again she had to compose her face as she imagined the effect on them all, were he sitting on the mat among them of an evening.

But, within a moment or two, there was no need for her to make an effort to compose her features, for after McBride number two had led her to the back door amidst a stoppage of work in what had been a busy yard, the door was opened by a young girl whose uniform told Anna that she could be termed a menial, and yet her features were expressing a look that didn't complement such a position, for, whether she was aware of it or not, the look on her face expressed disdain.

At first, the girl didn't speak, but walked ahead of Anna through a long, narrow boot room, then across a large scullery, before thrusting open a door and exclaiming to someone beyond, "She's here!"

Anna stepped into the kitchen, to be confronted by three pairs of eyes, and immediately she took in the situation. The hostility was almost visible, and she met it as she meant to meet all such.

Addressing the big woman in the white-bib bed apron and large starched cap, she said, "Will you kindly inform Mrs. Hewitt that I am come and wish to be shown to the schoolroom ... ?"

As the cook said later, when seated at the head of the lower staff in the servants' dining-room, you could have knocked her down with a feather. The cheek of that one, and the voice. Why! Miss Conway didn't talk like that and she was a lady's maid.

The cook, now addressing one of the girls standing near, said, "Go and fetch her."

What followed this, as the cook again said later, almost caused her to flop on to the floor, for that one dared to walk up the kitchen and cast her eyes over the array of china on the long dresser, then turn about and sort of examine the bread oven and the stove. If Mrs.

Hewitt hadn't come in at that moment, she would surely have let her have it.

When Mrs. Hewitt came into the kitchen, she approached Anna, then looked at her in silence for a moment before she said, "Will you come this way?"

Her tone was civil but her when stiff.

Anna followed her out of the kitchen into a corridor, from which a number of doors led off. The end one was open and showed the outside yard, and the housekeeper, pointing, said, "You'll go through this door when taking the young master for his walks." Then again leading the way, she mounted a flight of stairs and, stopping on the landing, she again pointed, this time to a door on her left, saying, "Never use that. That leads to the gallery and the house."

She opened the other door and they now ascended a flight of stairs which led on to a wide landing, almost like a room with a sloping roof on one side. A number of doors led off, and the housekeeper, unceremoniously opening one, stepped into a room, saying, "She's arrived, Eva."

"Oh, come away in. Come away in."

"How's your back?"

"Oh, the same, Mary. I can't expect any change in it now. By the way, did you see Peggy on the stairs?"

"No. No sight of her."

"By! I'll put a cracker in that one's drawers afore I'm finished.

She's been gone fully five minutes with the slops. Sit down, lass.

"

The nurse flapped her hand towards Anna; and the housekeeper said, "She knows the rules'; and turning to Anna, she said, " I've explained them to you, but they'll be put in writing. Today, though, you'll be sent for at half-past ten; the mistress wishes to see you. Is there anything more you would like to know? "

"Not at present, thank you."

The housekeeper's bust could in no way be com pared with that of Miss Benfield as regards its size, but nevertheless it followed the same action as that lady's and expressed its owner's thoughts more than words could do at the moment.

The housekeeper now turned a knowing look on the nurse, then abruptly left the room. And Eva Stanmore, looking at Anna, chuckled as she said, "It would be advisable, lass, if you altered your tone when speaking to them above you."

When Anna made no answer the old woman chuckled again and said, "You likely don't consider them in that way, eh?" And when Anna again made no reply, she said, "Well, it's up to you. Yet, I suppose if you went on your knees you couldn't change people's opinions. There's a lot of ignor ... ram uses in this world. Anyway, the child's all ready. He's sitting in there waiting, as good as gold;

not that he's always as good as gold, but he's got quite a bit up top for his age and he's interested in somebody new coming to look after him. He seemed to like what he saw in you the other day. "

"I'm pleased."

"Aye, well, that's your room." She pointed across to what was evidently her sitting-room.

"There's a cupboard in there for you to hang your clothes, and the master's put in the things that you'll need: slates and pencils and things like that. And, of course, the child's got his own bricks and toys."

Anna had risen to her feet and, as she made her way to the door indicated, the nurse said, "You're a funny lass."

At this Anna stopped and, looking down on to the wrinkled face, she said, "And you're a funny woman, but in a nice way," and they smiled at each other before the old woman said, "Go on! you." And she went.

The schoolroom was well lit by two long windows, and standing gazing out of one was her charge.

At her approach he turned quickly, and she held out her hand and said,

"Good morning, Andrew."

"Hello. Good morning. Did you see the horses going out? Look." He grabbed her hand and drew her to the window, then pointed downwards, and she saw three horses being led from the yard.

"I have a pony."

"You have? That's splendid. You like riding?"

"Yes, when I don't fall off." His mouth went into a wide grin.

She took off her hat and coat and hung them in the cupboard, then looked round the room. It was quite comfortable. There was a wooden table on which there were books and slates, pencils and paper, already laid. An abacus was standing to the

side of the table. There was another table against the far wall on which were coloured blocks with letters on them. And what struck her was everything looked new and unused. At the far end of the long room a fire was burning brightly in a small grate, which had an iron guard around it. And what she found unusual was a large leather armchair set to the side of the fireplace. Did that indicate she would have time to sit down and relax?

When she stood by the table examining the plain exercise books and those for copying scripts, the child said, "Papa bought them, but I have a lot more, and my colouring books."

"Show me."

He ran to a row of low cupboards that took up part of one wall and, kneeling down, he opened one of the doors and pulled out an assortment of books, including cloth ones, and as he strewed them round him, he looked up at her brightly, saying, "I like making pictures, not learning letters, just making pictures."

Anna picked up one of the books and looked at the splash of colour on a page, and she nodded down at him and said, "And yes, yes, you're very clever at making pictures. But I'm sure you'll be just as clever learning your letters. And we'll paint the letters, too, and the numbers."

"I can count up to ten."

"Oh, that's good. Come on, let me hear you."

As she caught his hand he tugged her to a stop, saying, "Will you take me for a walk this afternoon?"

"Yes, my dear, yes, if you would like that."

"I would like that, please."

She had the desire to stoop, sweep him into her arms and hug him. As she looked down into his face and he looked up into hers she knew she would love this child.