I saw the look of relief on the woman's face. It was certainly the most expressive face I had ever seen. Her feelings were there for everyone to see.

"I trust ..." she began.

"Oh, it is nothing much," I said quickly. "The doctor was afraid of concussion and it was thought better to keep her here overnight. Mrs. Keel is watching over her until I go up. Well, good night and thank you, Sir Jason, for your hospitality."

I hurried out of the courtyard and went into the house, trying to find my way to the blue room. My exhilaration of a short time ago had sunk to depression.

What had happened to me in the courtyard? There had been some enchantment about the night. It was the darkness, the food, the wine ... his personality, my inexperience perhaps ... his conversation which I found stimulating. I must have been completely bemused to imagine for a moment that he was not the man I knew him to be from all that I had heard about him.

He now had to face the mistress whom he had deserted for an evening's adventure with someone who was new to him.

It was just what I would expect of him!

She had shattered something, that woman. It was just as well, for she had brought me back to reality. I hoped I had not been too indiscreet and tried to remember what I had said. How had he managed to carry me along with him? I had almost begun to like him.

I saw a maid on the stairs and asked her to show me the blue room, which she did.

Mrs. Keel rose from her chair as I entered.

"She's fast asleep. Hasn't stirred the whole time," she said. "Are you staying here now?" "Yes," I said. "I shall sleep on one side of the bed. It's big enough. I shan't disturb her and if she wakes I shall be there."

"That's right," said Mrs. Keel. "Well, I'll say good night."

She shut the door quietly. I still felt bemused. It was the food and wine, I told myself. It had nothing to do with him.

There was a key in the door.

I turned it, locking myself in with Teresa.

I felt secure then. Tomorrow if Teresa was well enough-and I knew she would be-we would go back to the school and I, no less than Teresa, would have to forget about our little adventure.


I lay beside Teresa, but sleep was elusive. I felt stimulated and excited and was wondering what Sir Jason and Marcia Martindale were saying to each other down there. I could imagine the recriminations. I should like her to know that there was no need for her to lose any sleep on my account. I was not the sort to be taken in by a plausible philanderer. Yet while I was talking to him-although I had been wary and believed that I could see through him with the utmost ease-I had to admit that I had been a trifle fascinated. He was blasé, ruthless, what would be called "a man of the would", and I realized-and so did he-that I had had little experience of such people. There had been no doubt that he was stressing his interest in me. But innocent as I might be, I was fully aware that a man like Jason Verringer would be interested in that certain way in many women at the same time.

How foolish I had been to think- just for a short while-that he had a special feeling for me. What struck me as so very strange was that I should have told him about my adventure with the man in the forest when I had not even talked to Aunt Patty about that. It had been because we had been sitting there while it grew darker and darker and the bats flew overhead. If it had been broad daylight, I should never have talked as I did.

Well, it was over. It had come to an abrupt ending with the dramatic appearance of his mistress.

Forget the man, said my common sense. Go to sleep.

I closed my eyes and tried. I had locked the door because I had a suspicion that he might come into the bedroom perhaps on a pretext of explaining Marcia Martindale's sudden appearance. But Teresa was here ... a sleeping chaperone. The door was locked and she lay beside me in her sedated sleep.

At last I dozed.

When I awoke it was dark. I could not remember where I was for some moments, then memory came flooding back.

"Teresa!" I said softly.

"Yes, Miss Grant."

"So you're awake." I sensed her anxiety and I went on: "You're not badly hurt, Teresa. You're going to be walking round normally in a day or two."

"I know."

"Well then, just try to go to sleep. It's the middle of the night. There's nothing to worry about. We shall stay here until the morning and then Emmet will come to collect us."

She said: "I wish it wasn't summer."

"Why ever not! Why, it's the best time of the year. Think of the lovely sunshine, the walks, the picnics, the holidays ..."

I stopped. How foolish of me, how tactless.

There was a brief silence and I went on: "Teresa, what shall you do during the summer holidays?"

"I shall stay at school." Her voice sounded utterly dreary. "I suppose Miss Hetherington will have to let me, but it is a nuisance for her. I'm the only one."

A sudden impulse came to me and I said: "Teresa, suppose ... just suppose ... it were possible for me to take you home with me for the holidays."

"Miss Grant!"

"Well, I suppose I could. Aunt Patty would be all right ... and Violet. I'd have to get Miss Hetherington's permission."

"Oh, Miss Grant ... I'd see Aunt Patty and Violet's bees. Oh, Miss Grant. I want to come... so much."

I stared into the darkness. Perhaps I should have thought about it more carefully before mentioning it. But, poor Teresa. She was so miserable and in such a low state after the accident. I had to make the suggestion, and the more I thought of it the better it seemed. Teresa would not go to sleep now. She wanted to talk about Aunt Patty and her home in the country.

"I don't know much about it myself yet. I haven't been there when it was a home. It has always been an empty house to me. They only moved in when I came to Colby, so I only know about it from Aunt Patty's letters."

"Tell me about Aunt Patty. Tell me about how she came to meet you from Africa in that hat with the feather."

So I told her, as I had told her before, and I heard her laugh contentedly beside me, and I knew that the prospect of the summer holiday was doing more to restore her than anything else could have done.


The next day Emmet arrived to take us back to the school. Mrs. Keel saw us off with two of the servants and as we were about to get into the carriage Sir Jason appeared.

I said: "Thank you for your hospitality. Teresa, please thank Sir Jason."

"Thank you," said Teresa obediently, her eyes still shining with anticipation of the summer holidays.

"It was a great pleasure," he said. "I so much enjoyed our dinner."

"A culinary masterpiece," I replied. "Again thank you and everyone concerned. Come along, Teresa."

"I trust we shall meet again soon," he said looking at me.

I smiled vaguely and settled Teresa, taking my seat beside her. Emmet whipped up the horse and we moved away. Sir Jason was looking straight at me rather pleadingly, I thought, and again I felt a twinge of that pity for him which would, I am sure, have amused him, had he known of it.

Daisy Hetherington was waiting to receive us.

She greeted me and her eyes went immediately to Teresa.

"You look none the worse for your adventure," she said. "Come along in. What does the doctor say, Miss Grant? Is Teresa to rest for a while?"

"Yes, for today. I will take her to her room. She should rest in bed for today, and tomorrow we will see."

"When you have dealt with her, come to my sitting room, Miss Grant. I want to talk to you."

"Certainly," I replied.

I took Teresa to her room and helped her to bed.

"Will you ask Miss Hetherington now?" she whispered conspiratorially.

"Yes," I said. "At the first opportunity."

"And will you let me know ... at once?"

"I promise."

I saw Charlotte and the Verringer girls on my way to Miss Hetherington.

I said to them: "Teresa is back. She may be a Little shocked. I want you all to be very careful. Don't refer to the mishap unless she does. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Miss Grant. Yes, Miss Grant. Yes, Miss Grant."

There was even an understanding affirmative from Charlotte. That little bit of authority had worked wonders.

"You three ride very well," I went on. "You happen to be especially good horse-women." I was looking at Charlotte, who turned pink with pleasure. "You must understand that everyone cannot be as good. Their talents might lie in other directions."

I passed on. I did not think Charlotte would taunt Teresa with cowardice if she refused to ride for a while. I really did believe that I had got through to her because of her love of horses-in a small way perhaps but it was a beginning. I fell to thinking then that many people behaved badly through a desire to assert themselves, and when their success was acknowledged there ceased to be that necessity. It was a point I should like to discuss. Certainly not with Daisy Hetherington but with Eileen Eccles, Aunt Patty ... and it might be interesting to hear Sir Jason's views.

Daisy was waiting for me.

"Oh, Miss Grant, do sit down. What an unfortunate thing to happen! And there of all places ..."

"It was better than happening in the isolated country," I reminded her. "At least we got Teresa attended to very quickly."

"I gather it is only bruises."

"No bones were broken. She was lucky. Of course she is shocked."

"Sometimes I wish I had never taken Teresa Hurst."

"She is a very pleasant girl."

"She seems to have some fixation for you, Cordelia. Be careful. These obsessions can become tiresome."

"The fact with Teresa is that she is lonely. She feels unwanted because of her home situation. By the way she is very depressed about the summer holidays and I, rather rashly I'm afraid, promised to take her home with me if all were agreeable."

"Take her home!" cried Daisy. "My dear Cordelia!"

"It seemed a good idea in the middle of the night when the poor child was so depressed, and after what had happened I promised ..."

Daisy smiled slowly. "It was extremely good of you and I am sure Patience would raise no objections."

"Then I have your permission?"

"My dear Cordelia, nothing would please me better than to have the child somewhere else for the summer holidays. It is an added burden when they stay at school ... and not worth the price they pay for it. Imagine ... the child here all that time and no others of her age. And a responsibility. As far as I am concerned I would give a whole-hearted Yes. There are the parents."

"They are in Rhodesia."

"I am thinking of the guardians here. The cousins ... I will write to them and ask for their permission for Teresa to stay with you. I will tell them that your aunt with whom you will be staying is an old friend of mine and I can vouch for Teresa's being in the best possible place, since she cannot be with her own parents."

"Oh thank you, Miss Hetherington. Would you mind if I went to tell Teresa right away. She is so anxious."

"Yes. And there is one other thing, Cordelia. I was uneasy about your spending a night at the Hall."

"I know you were and it was good of you to be concerned."

"I feel as responsible for my staff as I do for my girls ... Did you dine with Sir Jason?"

"Yes."

"He has a reputation for being rather ... free with women."

"I can well imagine that."

"I hope he was in no way offensive."

"No. As a matter of fact after dinner Mrs. Martindale called. I left them and went to Teresa to relieve Mrs. Keel who had kindly offered to keep vigil while I ate."


Daisy was obviously relieved.

I went straight to Teresa.

"The first hurdle is over," I said. "Miss Hetherington gives her whole-hearted consent. There now remain the cousins. She will write to them today."

"They will say "Yes please." We have nothing to fear from them. Oh, Miss Grant, I am going to spend my summer holidays with you and Aunt Patty!"

A Summer Interlude

WE had heard from the cousins and they were delighted with the arrangements and expressed assurance that as Miss Grant was so highly recommended by Miss Hetherington, she would take good care of Teresa.

"As if they cared," said Daisy. "You can read the relief oozing out of their words."