"In between terms we breakfast between seven thirty and eight thirty," she said. "In term it is seven thirty, and two of the mistresses supervise in the main dining room where the girls eat. After that it is prayers in the hall and we usually have a little talk-not more titan five minutes-given by one of us. Something uplifting ... a sort of text for the day. We take it in turns. Lessons start at nine. Do help yourself from the sideboard. We are rather unceremonious at breakfast."

While I was helping myself to cold York ham and coffee, Eileen Eccles came in.

I sat at the table and we talked of the school-or mainly Daisy did; the rest of us listened. As the newcomer, many of her remarks were addressed to me.

"The mistresses should all be here by Monday morning. Then we shall be ready for the girls. There will be a meeting of us all in my study on Monday afternoon and then we'll run through the term's work. I daresay you will want to have something prepared which we can discuss ... and to explore the place of course." She smiled round the company. "I am sure you will find many who will want to tell you anything you want to know."

Eileen Eccles said: "I shall go into the town this morning. There are one or two things I want to get. I'm short of paper and brushes. Would you care to come with me? It'll give you a chance to look at the town."

"Thank you," I said. "I should like that."

"You do ride, don't you? It's the only way we can go in."

I replied: "Yes, and thank you."

Daisy smiled her approval.

It was a beautiful morning. Eileen took me to the stables and pointed out a little bay mare. "You'll like her," she said. "She's got spirit and yet she's easy to handle." She herself took a grey horse. "We're old friends," she said, patting his flank, and he stamped his foot as though expressing agreement with her.

Soon we were on our way to the town.

"It's not far," she said, "which is a mercy. The horses are a godsend. They give us a chance to get well away from the school now and then. Thank goodness that the management of a horse is one of the necessary accomplishments of well-brought-up young ladies."

We rode past the fishponds glinting in the early morning sunshine. I looked round at the ruins and thought once more how magnificent they were-far less eerie in the early morning light.

"You'll get used to them," said Eileen. "I scarcely notice them now. At first I used to glance over my shoulder expecting some black-robed figure to leap out on me. That was before I discovered that their habits were white-which somehow would make them even more ghostly-by moonlight at least, don't you think?"

"I think one would be scared to encounter them, whatever colour they wore!"

"Don't worry. They're all dead and gone, and in any case if their spirits lingered on I am sure they would approve of Daisy. It is people like the Verringers who would have to be on their guard."

"Well, I suppose if the Verringers hadn't taken the place some other family would."

"Not the point, my dear Miss Grant. The Verringers did."

We came out into a lane and I was struck by the lush beauty all around me. Green grass, red earth, horse-chestnuts and wild cherry in bloom, and the sudden burst of a song from a sedge-warbler near the fishponds.

I said: "I met Teresa Hurst last night. Poor child. She seems lonely. I understood how she felt. I might have been in a similar position." Then I was telling her about Aunt Patty.

"Mind you," said Eileen, "Teresa does lack spirit. She rather allows herself to be weighed down by her misfortunes instead of putting up a fight."

"I shall see more of her. I had a Little talk with her last night. I think we got on quite well."

Eileen nodded. "She draws quite well and unlike some of them she does know the difference between olive green and Prussian blue."

She turned into a field, tapped her horse's flank and we cantered forward. "Short cut," she said, over her shoulder.

Then I was looking down on the town.

"Pretty isn't it, in sunlight," said Eileen. "Typical Devon small town. But some of the shops are quite adequate and it's better than nothing. They have a very good inn. Drake's Drum. I thought we'd meet there. I shall be at least an hour making my purchases. A bit boring for you to trail round with me and I like to be alone when I buy. You could explore a bit outside the town. The country's pretty. Or leave your horse in Drake's yard. In any case let's meet there in an hour, shall we? Then we'll have a glass of cider. They're famous for it."

I said that would suit me very well.

I thought I would ride through the town, turn onto the country for a look round and then explore the town afterwards. It was very small and I did not think I should need more than half an hour just to look round at first.

She showed me the inn with its coloured sign showing Sir Francis with his drum; and she rode onto the yard, and I went on.

As the town was Little more than a main street I was soon into the country lanes. They were beautiful, narrow and twisting so that they presented an element of excitement leading one to wonder what the next turn would reveal.

I must have ridden for some twenty minutes when .I thought it was time I turned back to the town. I had come through so many narrow winding lanes and I had not thought very much about the direction in which I was going, for it did not occur to me that it might be difficult to find my way back. I turned my little mare and we ambled along for five minutes or so before we came to a cross roads. I didn't remember seeing it before and there was no signpost. I tried to work out which of the four roads I should take.

While I hesitated I saw a rider coming along one of the roads - a man on a grey horse - and I decided I must ask him the way when he came up.

He had seen me and was riding towards me. As he pulled up I noticed something familiar about his face and I knew at once who he was, for although I had only caught a brief glimpse of him, when he had put his head out of the carriage window, it was one of those faces when once seen would not easily be forgotten.

I thought with mingled annoyance and excitement: the great Sir Jason himself.

He swept off his hat as he approached.

"You are lost," he said almost triumphantly.

"I was going to ask you the way back to Colby."

"The town, the Hall or the Abbey?"

"The town. Can you direct me?"

"More than that. I happen to be on my way there myself. I shall escort you."

"That is very good of you."

"Nonsense. It is good of you to allow me to."

He was surveying me rather boldly in a manner which made me feel uncomfortable. This is a little different, I thought, from the choleric passenger in the carriage.

"Thank you. It is not far, I am sure. I can't think how I lost my way."

"It is easy enough to lose one's way. These roads twist so much that you are turned and turned around until you don't know which direction you are facing. It's a very pleasant morning, don't you think?"

"Very "

"Doubly so now."

I did not answer.

"I will introduce myself," he said. "I'm Jason Verringer of the Hall."

"I know," I replied.

"Then we are old acquaintances for I know who you are, too. We met before. In a lane. You were sitting up with Emmet. Is that so?"

"Yes, and you angrily commanded us to retreat."

"That was before I saw you."

I tried to move my horse forward, which was a silly thing to do as he was showing me the way and in any case he was immediately beside me, but I did find his manner disturbing.

"Had I known Emmet was driving the very accomplished new schoolmistress to the Academy, I should have ordered my driver to go back."

"It is of no importance," I said.

"It is of the utmost importance. It was our first encounter, and I must tell you how delighted I am to meet you. I have heard so much about you from Miss Hetherington."

"Oh, does she discuss her staff with you?"

"My dear young lady, when such a prize falls into her hands she discusses her with everyone. I gather you have all the graces bestowed on you by some foreign establishment."

"I am sure you are exaggerating."

"Not in the least. I am so pleased to discover that a lady of almost divine qualifications has one little human weakness. She lost her way."

"I have many weaknesses, I do assure you."

"That pleases me. I shall hope to discover them."

"That is hardly likely. This is not the way I came."

"No. I don't suppose it is. What do you think of the countryside. This is good rich land ... the richest in England, some say. It has served us well through the centuries."

"And no doubt will go on doing so."

"No doubt. You will be meeting my wards ... my two nieces in fact. They attend the Academy. It is gratifying to know that they will be taught by someone with such talents."

I felt irritated because I knew he was mocking me with his constant references to my education.

I said: "I trust you will be satisfied. I look forward to meeting them. I understand from Miss Hetherington that they will be coming to school on Tuesday."

"That is the arrangement."

"It must be pleasant for them to be at school so near their home."

He lifted his shoulders.

"You may have heard that we have just had a bereavement in the family."

"Yes, I am sorry. The funeral was yesterday-the day when I arrived."

"That was strange, wasn't it?"

"Strange?"

"That I should have been coming from my late wife's funeral when our carriages met."

"I would hardly call it strange. They just happened to be in the same spot at the same time. These lanes are very narrow. Vehicles meeting like that must be quite a common occurrence."

"Not as often as you would think," he said. "I suppose we don't get a great deal of traffic. I do apologize for ordering your carriage to go back." "Please forget it. It's of no importance."

"You thought me a little ... arrogant?"

"I understand that you must have been very upset on such an occasion."

"Then we are friends?"

"Well ... hardly that ..." I looked ahead. "It seems rather a long way back to the town."

"You did stray rather far."

"Why, it is nearly a quarter to eleven. I am meeting Miss Eccles at the Drake's Drum at eleven."

"The Drake's Drum is a very good hostelry. It does good business on market days."

"How far are we from the town?"

"You'll be there by eleven."

"Is it as far as that?"

He raised his eyebrows deprecatingly and nodded.

There was something about the smile which played about his lips which disturbed me. I wished I had tried to find the way myself. I was sure that he had taken me round a long way.

"I shall hope to see more of you, Miss er ..." "Grant."

"Yes, Miss Grant. I hope you will visit the Hall sometimes. We have a concert now and then to which Miss Hetherington comes and allows some of her staff and even pupils to attend. There are occasions when I am invited to the school, so I am sure we shall face opportunities of meeting."

I was silent for a few moments. Then I said: "Are you sure this is the road?"

"I assure you that it is."

We rode on in silence for some time and then with great relief I saw the town ahead of us.

I spurred my horse and we galloped along together until we reached the outskirts of the town.

"You see," he said, "I have delivered you safely. I believe you thought at one time that I was leading you astray."

"I thought it was a long way back."

"For me the time flew."

"I know where I am now. Thank you for your help."

"It was the greatest pleasure."

He remained by my side until we reached the Drake's Drum. Eileen Eccles was already there. She had come out into the porch where she had obviously been looking anxiously for me.

"I lost my way," I said.

Jason Verringer took off his hat and bowed to us. Then he rode off.

I said to Eileen: "I met him when I was wondering which road to take and he showed me the way back. Where shall I put my horse?" "I'll show you."

She led me to the yard and then we went back into the inn parlour.

"He has soon discovered you," she said.

"I was lost. He appeared by chance and offered to show me the way back. It did seem a very long way."