"You know what girls are," soothed Polly.

"Well, that girl's courting trouble, that's what. And a nice thing that'll be."

When I was alone with Polly I said, "What's Holly doing?"

"Oh ... just being silly."

"It sounded as if it was rather dangerous."

"Oh, it's dangerous all right ... with one like that."

"Who ... like Holly?"

"No ... him."

"Tell me about it."

"You've been listening again. Little pitchers have long ears."

"Polly. I'm quite a sizeable pitcher and my ears are normal size, but they work as well as anyone else's. Stop treating me like a child."

Polly folded her arms and looked at me intently.

"Growing up fast," she said, with a hint of sadness.

"I'm not going to be a child forever, Polly. It's time I learned something about the world."

She regarded me shrewdly. "There might be some truth in that," she said. "Young girls have to watch out. Not that I'm worried about you. You're sensible. Been brought up right, you have. I've seen to that. It's that Jos ... He's one of that kind ..."

"What kind?"

"He's got a way with him. He'll always have girls after him, and it seems to me that's about all he thinks of. Perhaps that's why he gets what he wants."

I was thinking of the way he looked at Lavinia and how she accepted familiarities from him which, I am sure, as Lady Harriet's daughter, she should not have done.

"And Holly?" I asked.

"She's being silly over him."

"Do you mean he's courting Holly?"

"Courting her! Courting her for one thing ... and that won't involve a wedding ring. I reckon the silly girl has given what he's after already ... and that's no clever thing for any girl to do, I can tell you."

"What are you going to do about it?"

Polly shrugged her shoulders. "Me! What can I do? I could speak to the rector. Might just as well speak to a brick wall as speak to him. Mrs. Janson's done her best. Well, we shall see. Perhaps she'll find him out before it's too late."

Ignorant as I was, I did not realize the implications of the situation. Holly might dally with Jos as Jos's mother had with the gypsy and there could be a similar result.

But Jos was not a wandering gypsy; he could hardly wander off and shirk his responsibilities.

I wished I had not been the one to find them.

The grounds surrounding the House were large and in some places wild and uncultivated. Beyond the shrubbery was a part that was somewhat isolated. There was an old summer house there, which I had discovered by accident. When I asked Lavinia about it she had said, "Nobody goes there nowadays. It's locked. There's a key somewhere. One day I'll find it." But that was a long time ago and she had never done anything about it.

On this particular day I went over to join Lavinia. It was early afternoon—a rest period for Miss York—and I knew that Mrs. Janson "put her feet up for an hour" at that time; I suspect Mrs. Bright of the House did the same.

A somnolent atmosphere hung over the house. It was very quiet. Lavinia was nowhere about. She should have met me at the stables, but she was not there. Her horse was, so I knew she had not gone without me.

I thought she must be somewhere in the gardens, so I decided to look round before going into the House.

I could not find her and my steps eventually led me to the shrubbery. Thus it was that I came on the old summer house. The place had always attracted me in a morbid way. I believe it was said to be haunted and that was why people did not go there often.

I paused at the door and thought I heard a sound within. It was a long, low chuckle which made me shiver. It sounded ghostly. I turned the handle of the door and to my surprise it opened. Then I saw who was there. It was no ghost. It was Jos and Lavinia. They were laying on the floor together.

I did not want to notice details. I felt myself get very hot. I shut the door and ran and did not stop running until I reached the rectory. I felt sick. I glanced at my face in a mirror. It was scarlet.

I could not believe what I had seen. Lavinia ... proud, haughty Lavinia ... doing that with a servant!

I sat down on my bed. What should I do? Lavinia may have seen me. She would have heard the door open. What ought I to do? How could I tell anyone—and yet how could I not?

The door opened and Polly came in.

"Heard you running up ..." She stopped and stared at me. "Why, what is it? What's the matter?"

She came and sat on the bed beside me and put an arm round me.

"You're upset," she said. "You'd better tell old Polly about it."

"I don't know, Polly. I can't believe it. I don't know whether she saw me or not. It was awful."

"Come on. Tell me."

"I think I ought not to tell anyone ... ever."

"You can tell me, as it's as good as if you'd kept it to yourself ... only better because I know what's best to do. Don't I always?"

"Yes, you do. Only swear you won't do anything ... without telling me."

"Cross my heart."

"Swear it, Polly."

"Here." She licked her finger and rubbed it dry. "See me finger's wet, see me finger's dry, Cross my heart and never tell a lie," she finished with a dramatic gesture.

I had heard Polly swear that before and I knew she would keep her word.

"I couldn't find Lavinia," I said. "I went to look for her. You know that old summer house ... the haunted one ... someone killed herself in it years ago ..."

Polly nodded.

"She was in there ... with Jos. They were ... on the floor together ... and ..."

"No!" cried Polly, aghast.

I nodded. "I saw them clearly."

Polly rocked gently back and forth. "This is a nice sort of how-di-do. I can believe anything of them two. A regular pair. I'd like to see her ladyship's face when she hears of this."

"You mustn't tell her, Polly."

"What! Let them go on till he leaves his signature on the family tree! That wouldn't be one for the drawing over the fireplace, I can tell you."

"She'd know that I told. I can't tell tales."

Polly sat quietly thinking. "Nor can you let this go on. And I wonder how far it has gone. She's a little ... er ... madam ... that one. As for him, I reckon he's his father all over again and no girl would be safe from him ... unless she had her head screwed on right, of course. I reckon it's got to be stopped. There could be big trouble ... and I wouldn't like even Lady Harriet to have that foisted on her."

"Perhaps I should speak to Lavinia."

"Not you. You keep out of it. You'd make her worse. I know her kind. We've got to do something, though. You leave it to me."

"Polly, you won't tell I saw them, will you?"

She shook her head. "I've given you my promise, haven't I?"

"Yes, but ..."

"Don't you worry, my love. I'll find some way and you can bet your life I'll see that you are not mixed up in this."

Polly was most inventive. She found the way.

It was a few days later. I went over to the House as usual. Lavinia was not to be found, nor was Jos. I hurried back to the rectory and told Polly, who was waiting to hear.

She told me to go to my room and read because she wanted me out of the way.

I heard what happened later.

Polly let Holly know that her lover was in the Framling haunted summer house with another woman. Holly wouldn't believe her at first, but after a while she went to investigate. Polly's assumption had been right. Holly came upon Jos and Lavinia, as Lavinia told me later, flagrante delicto. Poor Holly, she had been deceived by her lover, and finding him in such a position with another woman—even though she was Miss Lavinia—aroused her unbridled fury.

She shouted at him, cursing him and Miss Lavinia. He could not escape, because he was not fully dressed, and it was the same with Lavinia.

Holly's shouting was heard and several of the servants came hurrying, thinking a burglar had been caught.

It was disastrous, for it became a matter that could not be hidden from Lady Harriet herself.

Lavinia and Jos had been caught in the act.

There was certain to be a big storm.

I did not see Lavinia for some days. Polly told me what had happened and she had it from the horse's mouth via Mrs. Janson, who had had it from Mrs. Bright. Lavinia was confined to her room and something big was about to take place.

Jos could hardly be dismissed, as he was known as Reuben's son although he wasn't—so he would have to stay in the stables, because Reuben was too useful to be dispensed with and it was not fair that the sins of the children should be visited on their elders, even though it was the other way round in the Bible. If he had been caught with any of the servants it would have been a venial sin—but Miss Lavinia!

"I always knew what she was," commented Polly. "Plain as the nose on your face. You can be sure your sins will find you out ... and Madam Lavinia's have surely done that."

We waited to see what would happen and we did not have to wait long.

Lady Harriet sent for my father and they were in conference for a long time before he returned home. As soon as he came back he asked me to go to him.

"As you know," he said, "you were always intended to go away to school. Your mother and I used to plan for you before you were born. It mattered not whether you turned out to be a boy or a girl, we both believed absolutely in the necessity of education and your mother wanted the best for our child. As you have heard, there is some money—not a great deal, but perhaps adequate—and that has been set aside for your schooling. Miss York is a very good governess and Lady Harriet will do all in her power to find her another place, and with such a recommendation it should not be difficult. Polly ... well, she has always known that she could not be with you permanently and I believe she has a sister whom she can join ..."

I stared at him. It was not the thought of school that appalled me. I could only think of the loss of Polly.

"Lavinia will accompany you. Lady Harriet approves of the school and the two of you will be together."

Then I understood. Lady Harriet had decreed that Lavinia must go away. There must be an end to this disastrous affair with Jos. Separation was the only answer—and I was to go with her. Lady Harriet ruled our lives.

I said, "I don't want to go away to school, Father. I am sure Miss York is a wonderful teacher and I can do just as well with her."

"It is what your mother wanted for you," he said sadly. I thought: And it is what Lady Harriet wants!

I went straight to Polly. I flung my arms round her and clung to her.

"Polly, I can't leave you."

"Better tell me," she said.

"I'm going to school. Lavinia and I are going."

"I see. I see. This is because of madam's little prank, eh? I shouldn't think school is going to stop that one. So you are going away to school, eh?"

"I won't go, Polly."

"It might be good for you."

"What about you?"

"Well, I've always known this would come to an end one day or another. That was certain sure. I'll go to Eff. She's always on at me to come. There's nothing to fret about, lovey. You and me ... we'll always be friends. You'll know where I'll be and I'll know where you'll be. Don't be so downhearted. School will suit you, and then when you have your holidays you can come and stay with me and Eff. Eff would be so proud. So ... look on the bright side, there's a love. Life goes on, you know. It never stands still and you can't be Polly's baby forever."

It was getting better already.

Miss York took the news philosophically. She had been expecting it, she said. The rector had always told her that one day I should have to go away to school. She would find another post and the rector had said she must stay at the rectory until she did. Lady Harriet had promised to help her find another situation, so she was as good as fixed up.

It was about a week after Lavinia's exposure that I saw her.

She was smoulderingly resentful. She looked more like a tigress than a spoiled kitten. Her eyes were slightly red, so I knew she had been crying.

"What a fuss!" she said. "It was that awful girl Holly."

"Holly wasn't any different from you. Jos had made fools of you both."