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"What about the child?"

"I said she could have custody of him, but you'll not believe it, she doesn't want him. She said so openly. It was then I told her that his father should have him."

"Oh, Simon! Simon, you didn't!"

"I did, Tim. And it was about time. I've lain under this since the day she spewed it at me during the first week of our so-called honeymoon, because I knew then I hadn't been the first. And she had the nerve to tell me who had."

The voices were moving away. There was more muttering and then Mr.

Timothy's voice came again:

"Have you flaunted the girl to her?"

"No. No, definitely not." Then more muttering and now Mr. Timothy's voice, "I am not blind;

I know of your feelings towards her. Have you spoken of them to her?

"

"No; not as yet, but I mean to."

"You think, or you have the impression that she cares for you?"

Anna, awake now, waited for the answer; and then it came: "I don't know, but I mean to find out, and soon. The fact that she's put up with that insanely jealous bitch's antics for so long gives me hope."

i . 1 woman t Dank on it, if I were you. That's your ego talking, as they put it these days. There's the child. She's very fond of the child. "

"Yes. Yes, I know. Still, ego or not, we'll see what transpires in the future. In the meantime we must let her rest here. Now I must go to mother. She'll have heard about this already."

There was the sound of a door closing, then foot steps approaching the bed again, and she felt a hand on her brow lifting her hair gently to the side and a whispering voice, saying, "Oh, my dear. My dear."

There was such feeling in the words that she wanted to cry and also to put her hand up and stroke the cheek of this kind, thoughtful man whose life was so marred.

When she slowly opened her eyes and looked at him, he said, "How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

"Yes, my dear. But just rest."

"I want to go home."

"You will later on. The housekeeper is going to prepare a bath so you can wash your hair and she is finding a gown for you."

She opened her eyes wider now and put a hand up to her hair, then looked at the hand and asked, "What is it?"

"It was oil, my dear, linseed oil. Fortunately nothing stronger." He did not say it could have been turpentine.

"I shall never come back into this house again."

"I know that, my dear, I know that."

"She is mad."

"Partly, partly."

"No' she shook her head slowly 'not partly; all mad. "

He sighed then said, "I told you once before she's a very unhappy woman. Spoilt women are often unhappy, I have found."

"I would rather go home and wash there. If you could get the gig."

"No, my dear; you're in no condition to go home yet. Do this to please me because, may I say it, we are friends, aren't we?"

She stared at him for a moment before saying, "If you say we're friends, Mr. Timothy, then we are friends."

"Do you think you could say Tim? That would please me so much. And as you won't be in this house much longer there'll be no one to hear you .

taking liberties." He smiled over the last words.

She made no answer to this but found that her lids were closing again.

She did feel sleepy, and weary; no, as he said, she couldn't go home like this. Perhaps later.

It was three o'clock in the afternoon. Mrs. Hewitt had helped her wash her hair, and had then supplied her with a plain smock-like dress, and had also put a bandage round her head to cover the cut behind her ear;

and she was now sitting in a room off the hall, her coat and hat on, and Simon Brodrick was standing in front of her. He was saying, "I know that this is the end of your service here. The child is going to miss you, you know, miss you desperately." Then he added softly, "And I, more than he, will miss you. I'm sure you know that." She looked up

into his tace but didn't answer him. And he said, "If you feel strong enough, my mother would like to have a word with you before you leave.

Do you think you could see her? "

He was asking if she thought she could see his mother. It wasn't an order, it was a request. She said simply, "Yes."

"I will take you along, then I will see you home."

"There won't be any need; I ... I would rather go on my own."

They were facing each other now, and he said, "We must talk, Anna. You know that, don't you?"

She stepped back from him and in a tone as harsh as she could make it at that moment, she said, "No! No, I don't!"

"Oh, Anna, please don't say that. Look, we won't talk about it now, but I will come over and see you in a day or two, for you must know, you must have guessed."

"Please, please, don't say any more." And she again stepped back from him.

"You wish me to see your mother?"

He bowed his head for a moment, then went to the door, opened it and walked slightly ahead of her until they reached the grey door, through which he ushered her; then tapping on his mother's bedroom door, he entered, saying, "Miss Dagshaw, Mother," and turning back to her, he added, "I'll be waiting in the hall."

As she had done once before, she walked across the large room and to the foot of the bed, and again she was looking into the bright eyes, which were so like Mr. Timothy's.

It must have been quite a full minute before Mrs. Brodrick said, "I am deeply sorry you have had to be subjected to such awful treatment in this house, Miss Dagshaw."

Anna could not think of a reply, so she just remained still, her eyes fixed on the white face.

"You require an apology at least and ... and I'm sorry it must come from me alone, as my daughter- in-law stresses the fact that you were asked to go and see her in her office, but instead you went into her studio, where she was disposing of private ..."

"Madam, I am sorry to interrupt you, but I had no message to the effect that I was to see your daughter-in-law in her office. I was just told I had to come down and see the mistress. There was no explanation of where I must see her. I had never been to her office before. She had spoken to me once in the library and once in her studio. I went to the library first. When she wasn't there, I naturally went to the studio."

Again there was a long pause before Mrs. Brodrick said, "I understand that the message was given to the upper housemaid and that she passed it on to you."

"I'm sorry, madam, but you have been misinformed. Had I known I had to see your daughter- in-law in the office, I should not have gone to the library."

"No, of course you wouldn't... Nurse!"

When the nurse appeared at her side, she said, "Tell them to send the upper housemaid to me. And place a chair for Miss Dagshaw, please."

The chair was brought, and Anna found she was thankful to sit down.

And now Mrs. Brodrick said,

4 am sorry that my grandson will be deprived of your teaching, because he has got on so well under your tuition. "

Again Anna remained silent.

"What will you do now?"

"I don't know, madam. I may find employment in the city."

"I do hope so. And then perhaps you ... you will marry?"

The blue gaze held hers until she said, "I have no intention of doing so yet, madam."

"I don't think the intention will be left with you for very long." The face moved into a tight smile.

The door opened and the nurse brought in Betty Carter, leading her right to the foot of the bed.

The girl was definitely nervous and she dipped her knee towards the face that was looking at her. And then Mrs. Brodrick said, "Tell me exactly, girl, what order your mistress gave you when she wished to speak to Miss Dagshaw."

The girl wetted her lips, her head moved slightly, and then she said,

"Go and tell the teacher to come to my office. I wish to speak to her."

"And what did you say to Miss Dagshaw?"

"I ... I told her that, madam."

Anna had already turned her head towards the girl, and now she couldn't stop herself from saying, "You did not. You did not mention the office."

"I did so. But your nose was too high in the ..." She stopped and her head drooped.

"Look at me, girl!" Mrs. Brodrick's head was raised.

"I am saying to you that you are lying, that you never gave Miss Dagshaw that message.

You merely told her that your mistress wanted to see her. Isn't that so? "

"No. No, it isn't, madam. No, it isn't. She's lying, not me. I told her. I said, go to the office."

"You did not, girl. You did not." Anna almost hissed the words under her breath, and Mrs. Brodrick called, "Shh!" Then addressing the girl again, she went on, "If you told Miss Dagshaw to go to your mistress's office, why did she first go to the library then to the studio, and during this time your mistress would have been waiting for her in her office?"

The girl's head was down again and she muttered, "I did. I did tell her. I did."

"You are lying, aren't you?"

The girl was looking into the cold blue eyes now and her own lids were blinking rapidly. Then she burst out, "Well! madam, she's so hoity-toity. She never listens. She acts like ..."

"Be quiet! girl. Nurse!"

"Yes, madam?" The nurse was standing near the head of the couch.

"Send for Mrs. Hewittimmediately."

Mrs. Brodrick turned to the girl again, and now she said, "You were aware that your mistress didn't 'want anyone to go near her studio "

this morning, weren't you? Answer me, girl. "

"No, madam."

"Lift your head and look at me."

The girl now lifted her head slowly and Mrs. Brodrick repeated, "You were aware that your mistress didn't want anyone to go near her studio this morning, I say to you again, weren't you?"

And now the mutter came, "I ... I knew she was in a temper, that's ..

that's all."

The door opened again and Mrs. Hewitt almost scurried into the room.

She seemed to take no notice of anyone as she went and stood beside Betty Carter, then dipped her knee to the old lady, saying as she did so, "Madam?"

Mrs. Brodrick addressed her: "Hewitt," she said, 'you will take this girl and dismiss her. Give her a week's wage in lieu of notice but no reference, for she has been the means of causing a disturbance in my house. "

"Oh." It was a small sound coming from Anna: she wished to protest. Oh, don't do that. It'll only make things worse for us in the village. You don't know what it's like, how they feel about us . "You were about to say something. Miss Dagshaw?"

The words were forming in her mind: perhaps I misunderstood her.

Perhaps she did tell me where to go, but looking into those blue eyes, she knew she would not be believed. And so she remained silent and Mrs. Brodrick, addressing the housekeeper, said, "That will be all, Hewitt."

Mrs. Hewitt went to take Betty Carter's arm, but she dragged herself away and, rounding on Anna, she cried, "I don't care, I can get a job anywhere, but you watch out; our lads will have you for this."

"Get her out of here." The voice was small now, the blue eyes were closed.

The nurse was standing by the bed holding a glass to her mistress's lips. Anna had risen to her feet and now she was following a motion of the manservant's hand as he beckoned to her. She gave one last look at the woman on the bed before following him, and as she came abreast of him he bent and whispered, "Madam gets easily tired.

You understand? "

She nodded, then went out and across the grey hall and through the grey door; then through the corridors until she entered the main hall, where Simon was standing.

Moving towards her, he said, "Are you all right? You are so white."

And she answered, "Yes, I'm all right; but I think it has been a trying time for madam, I ... I think she may need you."

"I'll see you to the carriage first."

"Please'her voice was low' there no need."

"Need or no need, I will see you to the carriage." His voice was as low as hers but firmer.

When the footman opened first the glass doors and then the main front doors, she thought ironically, I have never been allowed to come in through these doors but I may go out through them.

He helped her into the covered carriage, then reached over and took a rug from the opposite seat and placed it over her knees, before saying,

"I will call tomorrow and see you."

"Please don't. I beg you."

"Someone must deliver your dress when it is laundered, and if they cannot get it clean, you must be compensated for it."

She turned her head away, and he withdrew his and closed the door, then gave a signal to the coachman, and the horses walked sedately forward.

Anna leant back against the padded leather head of the seat. She felt ill and tired. Her head was

acmng, as was the cut behind her ear where the stone bowl had struck her. Fortunately, it had only grazed the skin, so they had told her, yet at the same time, if she were to believe the valet's words, if the mistress's aim had been true it could have killed her, for the vessel that had held the oil had been a stone mortar used for pounding colour ingredients.

Well, she was free . But was she? He would come tomorrow, and the scene would be painful. But now she asked herself: would it have been so painful this rime last week? and received from her mind the answer, no. Then why the change?

Behind her closed lids the motion of the coach rocked the picture of a man, a gentleman taking his hand and, bringing it with force against one side of his wife's face, then the back of the same hand against the other side, before knocking her on to the floor. Yet, had he not suffered at that woman's hands by deceit. and worse? But then, had not her dada suffered at his wife's hands too. Moreover, he'd had to work and scrape for years to keep her at bay.

She looked down the years stretching ahead and she knew that her life would indeed be barren if she waited until she found a man whom she could compare with her dada.