"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."