“We have rather pleasant nursery quarters here. You know, the family’s children have been brought up there over the years. That makes a difference … some how.”
I was trying to shut out of my mind images of that frightened little boy being brought into the nursery by a determined Sir Edward and by good fortune falling into the hands of loving Nanny Crockett.
It was obvious that my next words unnerved her.
“Perhaps I could meet your daughter.”
It was the last thing she wanted. There was apprehension in the green eyes. She was clearly thinking that one look at the little monster would be enough to make me decline. I felt almost sorry for her. She was so anxious to find a governess any governess, I imagined for her daughter.
Never could a prospective governess have been in such a position. I was amused at the feeling of power which came over me. It would be entirely my decision. I knew I was not going to enjoy my work, but at least I should not have to cringe before my employer. I knew I was coming to this house for Simon’s sake and I was certain that I should discover some of its secrets which, with luck, might lead me to the truth.
“She may not, of course, be in her room,” she said.
“I think we should meet before we make the decision,” I said firmly, and I somehow managed to convey that this was an ultimatum.
Reluctantly she went to the bell rope and in a few moments a maid appeared.
“Would you bring Miss Kate to me?” she said.
“Yes, my lady.”
Lady Perrivale looked so nervous that I wondered what I was going to discover. If she is quite impossible, I thought, I shall at least have a chance to look around and if it is really bad I can always follow the example of the other governesses and leave.
When she came, I was surprised rather agreeably, but that was perhaps because I was expecting something worse.
She was very like her mother. Her hair was a little less bright, her eyes a little less green. There was a hint of blue in them but that might have been because she was wearing a blue dress; her lashes and brows were inclined to be sandy and her mother owed a great deal to her dark brows and luxuriant lashes for her arresting good looks. But it was obvious at once that she was her mother’s daughter.
“Kate, my dear,” said Lady Perrivale.
“This is Miss Cranleigh. If you are lucky she may be your new governess.”
The girl looked at me appraisingly.
“I don’t like governesses,” she said.
“I want to go away to school.”
“That’s not very polite, is it?” asked Lady Perrivale mildly.
“No,” said her daughter.
“And shouldn’t we be?”
“Perhaps you should, Mama. I don’t want to be.”
I laughed and said boldly: “I can see you have a great deal to learn.”
“I never learn unless I want to.”
“That’s not very clever, is it?”
“Why not?”
“Because you will remain ignorant.”
“If I want to be ignorant, I’ll be ignorant.”
“It is your choice, of course,” I replied mildly, ‘but I never heard of any wise person wanting to be ignorant. “
I looked at Lady Perrivale and I could see her fear that I would reject her daughter was growing.
“Really, Kate,” she said.
“Miss Cranleigh has come all the way from Trecorn Manor to see you.”
“I know. And it’s not ” all the way”. It’s not really very far.”
“You must assure her that you will try to be a good pupil or she may decide not to come.”
Kate shrugged her shoulders.
I was surprised to find myself feeling almost sorry for Lady Perrivale. I wondered why she, who looked as though she might be the sort of woman to have her own way, could allow a child to behave so.
I fancied Kate felt a certain antagonism to her mother and at the root of her behaviour might be a wish to discountenance her. I wondered why.
I said: “If I am coming to teach Kate, I think we should get to know each other. Perhaps she could show me the schoolroom.”
Kate turned to face me. I could see she was finding me very different from the governesses to whom she was accustomed. I imagined those poor needy women desperately eager for the post and fearing to do anything that might mean losing it.
I felt more alive than I had for a long time. I was actually in Simon’s old home and these were the people who had figured in the drama. Moreover, I was a little stimulated at the prospect of battles to come with this child.
“If you think …” began Lady Perrivale uneasily.
“Yes,” said Kate.
“I’ll show you the schoolroom.”
“That’s good,” I said.
Lady Perrivale rose as if to accompany us.
I turned to her.
“Shall Kate and I get to know each other … alone?” I suggested.
“We shall know better then whether we can get along.”
I was not sure which was greater her relief or her apprehension. She was glad to end this interview but she was afraid of what would ensue when I was alone with Kate.
The girl led me up the stairs, taking two at a time.
“It’s a long way up,” she said over her shoulder.
“Schoolrooms usually are.”
“Miss Evans used to puff and pant coming up the stairs.”
“Miss Evans being the unfortunate lady who tried to teach you before?”
I asked.
She gave a little giggle. Poor Miss Evans! I thought. At the mercy of such a creature.
“It’s not very nice up there,” she went on.
“It’s haunted, you know.
Are you afraid of ghosts? “
“Never having made the acquaintance of any, it is difficult to say.”
Again she giggled.
“You wait,” she said.
“They’re very frightening.
There are always ghosts in old houses like this. They come out in the night when you are asleep . particularly if they don’t like you, and they never like strangers. “
“Oh, don’t they? I should have thought it was members of the family whom they would come back to see.”
“You don’t know anything about ghosts.”
“Do you?”
“Of course. I know they do horrid things … like clanging chains and frightening people in the night.”
“Perhaps you have been listening to gossip.”
“You wait,” she said ominously and with plans in her eyes.
“If you come here, you’ll be frightened out of your wits. I promise you.”
“Thanks for the promise. So this is it?”
“It’s right at the top of the house. You can look right down into the well … because the stairs go round and round. Someone hanged herself once from these banisters. She was a governess.”
“Perhaps she had a pupil rather like you.”
That made her laugh and she looked at me with some appreciation.
“Moreover,” I went on, ‘it would have been rather a difficult operation and she must have been very skilful. So this is the schoolroom. What books have you? “
“A lot of boring old things.”
“You mean they bore you. That’s probably because you don’t understand them.”
“How do you know what I understand?”
“Well, I gathered from you that you never learn anything unless you want to, and I surmise that very often you don’t want to, which would account for your ignorance.”
“You’re a funny sort of governess.”
“How do you know? I haven’t been a governess yet.”
“I’ll give you a piece of advice,” she said conspiratorially.
“That’s good of you. What is it?”
“Don’t come here. I’m not very nice, you know.”
“Oh yes. I had already discovered that.”