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Betty Carter, the upper housemaid, came for her at twenty past ten.

She didn't greet her in any way;

she just stared at her.

A few minutes before this, nurse had called her from the schoolroom into her sitting room. There she said, "You will have to go in a minute or so. I'm not gona say anything. It wouldn't be any use, would it, to tell you to keep your tongue still, no matter what's said to you. You're of that type, and being brought up as you have been, you're at a disadvantage, fallin' at ween two stools, as it were.

Well, go on; get along with you."

Anna took no offence at the old woman's talk, for she had felt she was going to like her and that, in what she had said, she was wishing her well.

She was now on the middle landing and going through the forbidden door, and without moving her head she took in the broad corridor, with its four deep bay windows. From this, they passed into an upper hall.

Here a balustrade bounded an open gallery, and from it a grand staircase led down to the ground floor.

Two corridors went off the gallery and the maid, walking quickly a step ahead of her, led her down the one to the right-hand side, which had a number of doors on one side of it, while the wall opposite was hung with pictures. They turned a corner and

into yet another corridor, a shorter one this time, and at the end of which was a flight of three steps leading up to a door, and on this Betty Carter knocked twice.

There was quite a long pause before the order came to enter. And the next moment Anna found herself walking past the maid and into a large room, bare except for a long wooden table on which there was an array of jars containing brushes, a number of palettes, and a great quantity of paints. Opposite this table, some lying against the wall and some on the floor, were a number of canvasses. But standing by an easel, which was set at an angle to a long window, was the lady to whom she had been bidden to present herself.

There was also another person in the room, and she recognised him as the second man in the gig. He was standing some distance from the easel and, unlike his companion, he turned and looked at her with a hard penetrating stare. Then without speaking at all he strode past her and the maid and left the room.

Betty Carter now approached her mistress who, it would seem, was unaware of her presence, yet when the girl spoke while dipping her knee and said, "I brought her, ma'am," her mistress said, "Very well.

You may go. "

When the door had closed on the girl, Anna slowly walked up the room until she was about six feet from the woman; and there she stopped and waited. She watched her put her head to one side while staring at the canvas on the easel, then put out a hand and stroke some paint on to it. But it was

only after she had turned completely round, placed her brush and palette on the table, then wiped her hands on a towel that was laid by the side of a bowl of water, did she turn and look fully at Anna, saying now, "You know you are on probation?"

Anna hadn't been aware that she was on probation, but she answered, "If you say so, madam."

"I do say so." It was a bawl. The woman was glaring at her now, her face suffused with temper. And Anna returned her stare, until the woman turned to the table again and squeezed some paint out on to the palette, then picked up the brush and returned to the easel. And once more she was applying the paint to the canvas. There was no sound in the room, and Anna was about to say, "May I take my leave, madam," when the woman said in a surprisingly quiet tone now, "How long have you known my husband?"

The question forced Anna to screw up her face in some perplexity, as she said, "What did you say, madam?"

"You heard what I said, girl." The eyes were still directed towards the canvas, but the voice had changed. It was deep and seemed to have a threat in it. And, in answer, her own tone changed: she forgot the nurse's advice and admonition as she said, "I don't understand you, madam. I have only known Mr. Brodrick for a matter of months. I first saw him and the gentleman who has just left when out riding with Miss Netherton."

"You are lying, girl."

"I am not lying, madam. I don't lie. I have no need to lie. I have seen your husband twice since

that time: the first after I left my post in Fellburn and had missed the cart and had to walk home, when your husband was on his way to the post office and he kindly offered me a lift part of the way. The other time was when Mr. Timothy had a seizure and we brought him to our home and your husband came to collect him. Then, I had a letter asking if I would take the post and . The woman turned to her now and held up her hand, crying, "Enough!

Enough! " Then she stood looking at her, staring into her face, which she felt to be flushed, and with an imperious movement of her hand she said, " You may go. "

Anna did not immediately turn about, but returned the woman's stare for a moment, and when she did turn she was halted again by the voice saying, "Girl!" and she stopped in her walk, but she did not this time turn round and the voice went on: "You will be wise if you forget our conversation. You'll also be wise if you watch your tongue and speak only when you're spoken to, and then briefly. I hope you understand me?"

Still Anna did not turn round but walked ahead towards the door.

The woman's scream almost lifted her from her feet.

"Girl!"

Slowly Anna forced her body round and she wouldn't have been surprised if, like Mr. Timothy, the woman had gone into a seizure as the words were flung at her like darts: "Don't you dare! ever dare stand with your back to me when I'm speaking to you. Do you hear me? Answer me!"

"Yes, madam, I hear you."

"Well, hear you this: you will stand there until I give you leave to go."

Before the last word hit her she was almost pushed on to her face by the door being abruptly opened, and then a voice said, "Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. Oh, good morning. You arrived, then. "

She looked at the kindly face of Timothy Barring- ton, and at this moment she had the desire to burst into tears, for his warm greeting coming on top of that woman's tirade was almost too much for her.

When he held the door open for her, she did not wait for the order of dismissal from her mistress, but walked past him without a word. And she almost fell off the second step into the corridor.

Some minutes later, when she reached the top landing and was making for the schoolroom door, Peggy Maybright, coming out of it with an empty coal-scuttle in her hand, exclaimed, "Eeh! What's the matter with you, teacher? You look like a piece of lint."

She didn't answer the girl, but went into the schoolroom and closed the door none too gently.

The child was sitting at the table and he turned and said, "I can't count with Peggy, teacher; she's silly."

What she should have said in admonition was, "You mustn't call anyone silly." Instead, she sat down opposite him and when she rested her head on her hand he enquired, "Have you a headache, teacher?"

As she was about to say, "Yes, dear, I have a headache," the door leading into Nurse Stanmore's

room opened and the old woman called to her, "I'd like a word with you if you have a minute. And you, Master Andrew, keep on with what you're doing, that's a good lad."

Reluctantly, it would seem, she rose from the chair and went slowly towards the nurse, who, still holding open the door, now closed it behind them, before turning to her and asking, "She go for you?"

Anna swallowed deeply, then said, "Yes. Yes, you could say she went for me."

"What about?"

"Nothing that I can give any reasonable answer to. She ... she just went for me. Whatever I said ... " Did you cheek her? "

"No, certainly not. I just spoke and answered her questions."

"Sit yourself down. You look shaken."

"No, and I must tell you, I don't intend to stay."

"Ah, now, come on. Come on. If it's any comfort to you we've all gone through the mill with her, some of us for no reason. She's got a temper like a fiend. The house has never been the same since the day she stepped into it. Sometimes I think she's not right in the head but' she nodded now knowingly 'she's all right in one direction, that's where blokes are concerned. Why, in the name of God, Master Simon took her on and didn't let the other one manage her. God alone knows; but he's dealt with her in his own fashion, and it's put years on him. If it wasn't for madam, his mother, he'd be gone long afore now. Anyway, it's about time for her trip to London. She goes up about this time of the year, sometimes stays a couple of months, going round exhibitions and things. But it's my opinion she goes around more than exhibitions.

Oh aye, I know what I know. So be a good lass, and I'll bet you a shilling when Mr. Simon gets word of this, she'll leave you alone. And he's concerned that the boy should be learning his letters and such.

To tell you the truth, I'm glad he's taking an interest in him. He didn't seem to bother much afore, except that he told me to get him out of those petticoats and into pants. But as I said, you don't usually breech them till they're five. But you know what he said to me? In that case, by the time he was five, he'd be playing with dolls. So the poor hairn is going to be breeched shortly. Making him old afore his time, I say. But there you are, that's today. Look, hold your hand a minute and sit yourself down in that chair."

She now almost pushed Anna into the leather chair before going to a cabinet at the far end of the room, from which she took out a bottle and a wine glass, which she then filled from the bottle and said,

"Drink that."

"What is it?"

"Nothing but what could do you good. It isn't spirits, 'tis herbs. I have it made up specially, as me mother did afore her. It's a cure for most things except' she laughed now' bad legs, rheumatism, and heartache. Oh, and I've known it help that, an' all. Anyway, it'll pull you together."

The potion tasted very nice, like honey, but with a tang to it; and after draining the glass, she said, "It's very pleasant-tasting."

"Aye, I've always found it so me self And you'll find it'll work on you the lower it drops into you."

Anna rose to her feet and, looking at the old nurse, she said, "You're very kind, and ... and your kindness contrasts with the feeling against me I've already experienced since coming into this house."

"Oh, take no notice. We're not all alike. But some can't help being ignorant. And there's always a mixture in every household. Now, go in to the boy and give him of your best."

Anna looked at this old woman, and again kind words were about to be her downfall, so she turned swiftly away and went into the schoolroom and began to give the boy . of her best. It was about an hour afterwards when a tap came on the outer door of the schoolroom and after calling, "Come in," she rose to her feet at the sight of Mr.

Timothy Barrington entering the room.

"Am I disturbing you?"

As she said, "No, not at all," the boy jumped from his chair, saying,

"Oh, Uncle Tim, have you come to take lessons?"

"Well, I need them, Andrew, but I don't think Miss ... Dagshaw will have time to bother with me, because you have such a lot to learn.

What are you doing now? " He was looking down on to the table, then he exclaimed, " Oh, you have drawn a dog! "

"No, no' the boy laughed now 'silly; it's a cat."

"But where are its whiskers?"

"I haven't put them on yet. Uncle."

"Oh, I see. Well, I think you had better, and put some legs on it, too. Then let me see what it looks like when you complete it. Go on.

Do it carefully."

As the child scrambled back onto his seat again, Timothy walked to the window, saying, "You have a lovely view from up here, Miss Dagshaw. A most pleasant room to be taught in. I remember the schoolroom at my home: it was so dull, the windows very high. I understand they were placed so in order not to distract the pupils. And, of course, in a way, I can understand the reason. We were five young boys and three young girls, the result of my father's second marriage. His previous one had only produced my half-sister, who was past fifteen when I came on the scene ... He laughed and said, " Don't look so perplexed, but is it any wonder, the way I keep jabbering on? Madam' he pointed now towards the floor "Mrs. Brodrick senior is my half-sister."

Anna nodded.

"Yes. Oh yes, I understand," she said.

He leant towards the window and in a lower voice now, he said, "You've had a taste of Mistress Brodrick junior's temper. One wall of my sitting room also happens to be the wall of her studio. Her high notes at times penetrate through it. I knew you had been called to the throne room; I saw you from the far corridor. I ... I just want to say, don't let it disturb you. Simon, my nephew, will, I am sure, make things plain to his wife that it was he who engaged you, so you will not be so disturbed in the future. I ... I am so sorry you have been subjected to this on your first day here.

"My sister would never have allowed such a thing to take place. By the way' he glanced at her' perhaps you know she is an invalid, but as soon as she feels able, she would like to have a word with you."

"Thank you for your concern, but I don't think I shall be able to stay on."

He turned quickly towards her and said, "Oh. Oh, give it a chance. I mean, don't let this ... well, it will upset his father' he nodded towards the boy 'very much if he knows that his wife is the cause of his son's being deprived of your tuition. Do, please, re-consider.

Anyway, she is leaving for London shortly. She spends a lot of her time there and' now he smiled' when that happens the house returns to normal. "

He leaned towards her and in a conspiratorial whisper said, "Without exception, we all breathe easily during the respite and gather strength for the next onslaught."

She was forced to return his smile; then, quickly changing the subject, he asked brightly, "How is your family? And that cheery sister? I have meant to come across and visit you but ... but I've been rather taken up with my own doings. You see, I ... I write ... well, I'm interested in history, but now and then I write silly stuff, like poetry." He whispered the word, and she actually laughed as she said,