This was the state of affairs when Connan TreMellyn returned to Mount

As soon as I set eyes on Connan TreMellyn he aroused deep feelings within me. I was aware of his presence, indeed, before I saw him.

It was afternoon when he arrived. Alvean had gone off by herself and I had sent for hot water to wash before I went for a stroll. Kitty brought it and I noticed the difference in her from the moment she entered the room. Her black eyes gleamed and her mouth seemed a little slack.

” Master be home,” she said.

I tried not to show that I was faintly disturbed; and at that moment Daisy put her head round the door. The sisters looked very much alike just then. There was about them both a certain expectancy which sickened me. I thought I understood the expression in the faces of these lusty girls. I suspected that neither of them was virgin. There was suggestion in their very gestures and I had seen them in scuffling intimacy with Billy Trehay in the stables and with the boys who came in from the village to work about the place. They changed subtly when they were in the presence of the opposite sex and I understood what that meant. Their excitement over the return of the Master, of whom I gathered everyone was in awe, led me to one conclusion, and I felt faintly disgusted, not only with them but with myself for entertaining such thoughts.

Is he that sort of man then? I was asking myself.

” He came in half an hour ago,” said Kitty.

They were studying me speculatively and once more I thought I read their thoughts. They were telling themselves that there would be little competition from me.

My disgust increased and I turned away.

I said coolly: ” Well, I’ll wash my hands and you can take the water away. I am going for a walk.”

I put on my hat and, even as I went out quickly by way of the back stairs, I sensed the change. Mr. Polgrey was busy in the gardens, and the two boys who came in from the village were working as though their lives depended on it. Tapperty was cleaning out the stables; he was so intent on his work that he did not notice me.

There was no doubt that the whole household was in awe of the Master.

As I wandered through the woods I told myself that if he did not like me I could leave at any time. I supposed I could stay with Phillida while I looked round. At least I had some relations to whom I could go. I was not entirely alone in the world.

I called on Alvean, but my voice was lost in the thickness of the trees and there was no response. Then I called: ” Gilly! Are you there, Gillyflower? Do come and talk to me if you are. I won’t hurt you.”

There was no answer.

At half past three I went back to the house and, as I was mounting the back stairs to my quarters, Daisy came running after me.

” Master have been asking for you. Miss. He do wish to see you. He be waiting in the punch room.”

I inclined my head and said : “I will take off my things and then go to the punch room.”

” He have seen you come in. Miss, and have said for you to go right away.”

” I will take off my hat first,” I answered. My heart was beating fast and my colour was heightened. I did not know why I felt antagonistic.

I believed that I should soon be packing my bags and going back to Phillida; and I decided that if it had to be done it should be done with the utmost dignity.

In my room I took off my hat and smoothed my hair. My eyes were certainly amber to-day. They were resentful, which seemed ridiculous before I had met the man. I told myself as I went down to the punch room that I had built up a picture of him because of certain looks I had seen in the faces of those two flighty girls. I had already assured myself that poor Alice had died of a broken heart because she had found herself married to a philanderer.

I knocked at the door.

” Come in.” His voice was strong arrogant, I called it even before I set eyes on him.

He was standing with his back to the fireplace and I was immediately conscious of his great height; he was well over six feet tall, and the fact that he was so thin one could almost say gaunt accentuated, this.

His hair was black but his eyes were light. His hands were thrust into the pockets of his riding breeches and he wore a dark blue coat with a white cravat. There was an air of careless elegance about him as though he cared nothing for his clothes but could not help looking well in them.

He gave an impression of both strength and cruelty. There was sensuality in that face, I decided that came through; but there was much else which was hidden. Even in that moment when I first saw him I knew that there were two men in that body two distinct personalities the Connan TreMellyn who faced the world, and the one who remained hidden.

” So, Miss Leigh, at last we meet.”

He did not advance to greet me, and his manner seemed insolent as though he were reminding me that I was only a governess.

“It does not seem a long time,” I answered, ” for I have only been in your house a few days.”

” Well, let us not dwell on the time it has taken us to get together.

Now you are here, let that suffice. “

His light eyes surveyed me mockingly, so that I felt awkward and unattractive, and that I stood before a connoisseur of women when even to the uninitiated I was not a very desirable specimen.

” Miss Polgrey gives me good reports of you.”

” That is kind of her.”

” Why should it be kind of her to tell me the truth? I expect that from my employees.”

” I meant that she has been kind to me and that has helped to make this good report possible.”

“I see that you are a woman who does not use the ordinary cliches of conversation but means what she says.”

” I hope so.”

” Good. I have a feeling that we shall get on well together.”

His eyes were taking in each detail of my appearance, I knew. He probably was aware that I had been given a London season and what Aunt Adelaide would call ” every opportunity,” and had failed to acquire a husband. As a connoisseur of women he would know why.

I thought, at least I shall be safe from the attentions which I feel sure be tries to bestow on all attractive women with whom he comes into contact.

” Tell me,” he said, ” how do you find my daughter? Backward for her age?”

” By no means. She is extremely intelligent, but I. find her in need of discipline.”

” I am sure you will be able to supply that lack.”

” I intend to try.”

” Of course. That is why you are here.”

” Please tell me how far I may carry that discipline.”

” You are thinking of corporal punishment?”

” Nothing was farther from my thoughts. I mean, have I your permission to apply my own code? To restrict her liberty, shall we say, if I feel she needs such punishment.”

” Short of murder, Miss Leigh, you have my permission to do what you will. If your methods do not meet with my approval, you will hear.”

” Very well, I understand.”

” If you wish to make any alterations in the … curriculum, I think is the word … you must do so.”

” Thank you.”

” I believe in experiments. If your methods have not made an improvement in say … six months … well, then we could review the situation, could we not?”

His eyes were insolent. I thought: He intends to get rid of me soon.

He was hoping I was a silly, pretty creature not averse to carrying on an intrigue with him while pretending to look after his daughter. Very well, the best thing I can do is to get out of this house.

” I suppose,” he went on, ” we should make excuses for Alvean’s lack of good manners. She lost her mother a year ago.”

I looked into his face for a trace of sorrow. I could find none.

” I had heard that,” I answered.

” Of course you had heard. I’ll swear there were many ready to tell you. It was doubtless a great shock to the child.”

” It must have been a great shock,” I agreed.

” It was sudden.” He was silent for a few seconds and then he continued: ” Poor child, she has no mother. And her father …?” He lifted his shoulders and did not complete his sentence.

” Even so,” I said, ” there are many more unfortunate than she is. All she needs is a firm hand.”

He leaned forward suddenly and surveyed me ironically.

” I am sure,” he said, ” that you possess that necessary firm hand.”

I was conscious in that brief moment of the magnetism of the man. The clear-cut features, the cool, light eyes, the mockery behind them all these I felt were but a mask hiding something which he was determined to keep hidden.

At that moment there was a knock on the door and Celestine Nansellock came in.

” I heard you were here, Connan,” she said, and I thought she seemed nervous. So he had that effect even on those of his own station.

” How news travels!” he murmured. ” My dear Celestine, it was good of you to come over. I was just making the acquaintance of our new governess. She tells me that Alvean is intelligent and needs discipline.”

” Of course she is intelligent!” Celestine spoke indignantly. ” I hope Miss Leigh is not planning to be too harsh with her. Alvean is a good child.”

Connan TreMellyn threw an amused glance in my direction. ” I don’t think Miss Leigh entirely agrees with that,” he said. ” You see our little goose as a beautiful swan, Celeste my dear.”

” Perhaps I am over fond ” ” Would you like me to leave now?” I suggested, for I had a great desire to get away from them.

” But I am interrupting,” cried Celestine.

” No,” I assured her. ” We had finished our talk, I believe.”

Connan TreMellyn looked in some amusement from her to me. It occurred to me that he probably found us equally unattractive. I was sure that neither of us was the least like the woman he would admire.

” Let us say it is to be continued,” he said lightly. ” I fancy, Miss Leigh, that you and I will have a great deal more to discuss, regarding my daughter.”

I bowed my head and left them together.

In the schoolroom tea was laid, ready for me. I felt too excited to eat, and when Alvean did not appear I guessed she was with her father.

At five o’clock she still had not put in an appearance, so I summoned Daisy and sent her to find the child and to remind her that from five to six we had work to do.

I waited. I was not surprised because I bad expected Alvean to rebel.

Her father had arrived and she preferred to be with him rather than come to me for an hour of our reading.

I wondered what would happen when the child refused to come to the schoolroom. Could I go down to the punch room or the drawing room or wherever they were and demand that she return with me?

Celestine was with them and she would take her stand on Alvean’s side against me.

I heard footsteps on the stairs. The door of Alvean’s room which led into the schoolroom was opened, and there stood Connan TreMellyn holding Alvean by the arm.

Alvean’s expression astonished me. She looked so unhappy that I found myself feeling sorry for her. Her father was smiling and I thought he looked like a satyr, as though the situation which caused pain to Alvean and embarrassment to me amused him and perhaps for these reasons. In the back ground was Celestme.

“Here she is,” announced Connan TreMellyn.

“Duty is duty, my daughter,” he said to Alvean. ” And when your governess summons you to your lessons, you must obey.”

Alvean muttered and I could see that she was hard put to it to restrain her sobs: ” But it is your first day, Papa.”

” But Miss Leigh says there are lessons to be done, and she is in command.”

“Thank you, Mr. TreMellyn,” I said.

“Come and sit down, Alvean.”

Alvean’s expression changed as she looked at me. All the wistfulness was replaced by anger and a fierce hatred.

” Connan,” Celestine said quietly, ” it is your first day back, you know, and Alvean so looked forward to your coming.”

He smiled but I thought how grim his mouth was.

” Discipline,” he murmured. ” That, Celeste, is of the utmost importance. Come, we will leave Alvean with her governess.”

He inclined his head in my direction, while Alvean threw a pleading glance at him which he quite obviously ignored.

The door shut leaving me alone with my pupil.

That incident had taught me a great deal. Alvean adored her father and he was indifferent to her. My anger against him increased as my pity for the child grew. Small wonder that she was a difficult child. What could one expect when she was such an unhappy one? I saw her . ignored by the father , whom she loved, spoiled by Celestine Nansellock. Between them they were doing their best to ruin the girl.