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The result of this was a rough and tumble on the mat with the twins, and Anna shouting, "Stop

it! you hooligans. Look! you'll have him in the fire. "

When order was restored again, Oswald asked quietly, "Where will you be married, Ma?"

Maria glanced at Nathaniel and said, "We haven't got that far yet.

Certainly it won't be by the Rever end Fawcett in the village. Parson Mason will do it, and gladly, I'm sure. He christened all of you. "

"Yes; your mother's right." Nathaniel now rose and, pulling Maria to her feet, said, "What your mother and I are going to do now is put on our coats and take a walk as far as the wood, because there's a moon out tonight and after proposing marriage one should always walk in the moonlight with the beloved." He hugged Maria to him for a moment; then addressing his family again, he added, "And you lot will clear the table, wash up the crocks, tidy the room, then away to bed, and by the time we come back we want to find this room absolutely clear."

"Slavery, that's what it is, nothing but slavery."

As Jimmy was getting his ears cuffed again, this time by Cherry, Nathaniel and Maria went out into the moonlight.

The family set about their separate duties: Oswald lifted up the large black kettle that was half crouched in the embers of the fire and took it into the scullery and poured the water into the tin bowl that Anna had already half filled with cold water.

Not until this was completed did she say to him, "Well, what do you think about their news?"

"It's not going to make much difference to us, is it?"

She looked up sharply at Oswald, and the flickering candle-light seemed for a moment to turn him into a man, and she asked softly, "Have have you minded?"

"I wouldn't have been human if I hadn't."

"And Olan?"

"The same; yet not quite. Well, you heard what he said. What about you?"

"Oh." She paused for a moment and looked at her hand sluicing a piece of blue mottle soap round and round in the water; then she said quietly, "Just now and again when I heard the word."

"The word. Aye, it twists your guts up, doesn't it? If it were only the one word used, bastards, you'd get used to it, but somebody comes up with a new one, gillyvors, base-borns: base-born child of Maria Dagshaw and Nathaniel Marten, it says on our registration papers."

She brought her hand out of the water, shook it, then dried it on a rough piece of to welling hanging from a nail on the cupboard door to the side of her and, turning to him again and using the pet name that her father didn't like, she said, "I'm sorry, Ossie, but they couldn't have done anything else the way they felt. And they're wonderful people. You do understand?"

"Oh, yes." He put out his hand and patted her cheek, saying, "Don't you worry your head about what I say, Anna. Of course they are wonderful people. It's all the other buggers that are not."

"Eeh! Ossie' she pushed him as she chuckled 'don't let them hear you swear. By the way, do you know the real meaning of gillyvors?"

"Yes, we are the real meaning, what else is there?"

"Well, if you break it up, a gilly is a woman of easy virtue, vor is her offspring, so there you get gilly vors or gillyflower."

"Is that so? Well, Ma's no woman of easy virtue. Anyway, we've got this far, so I suppose we'll weather the rest. God willing. Oh-'

Oswald laughed quietly" God willing. What do you think about Ben and his question? It shook Dada, I could see. "

Her voice serious now, she said, "Ben's questioning would shake anyone; at times he seems too good to be true ... Sh! Look out! Here they come."

With the others now crowding into the kitchen with dirty plates and crocks, all serious issues were swamped in joke and chatter and chastising- the happy facade had been resumed.

"I can't believe you'll not be popping in the door tomorrow morning.

I'm going to miss you, my dear. "

"And I'll miss you, too. Miss Netherton. Oh, yes. Yet' Anna smiled "

--I'm not going to the ends of the earth, not even into Newcastle, just into Fellburn, and to . Miss Benfield's Academy For Young Ladies. "

They laughed together now, and Miss Netherton, putting her hands on Anna's shoulders, pressed her away, then surveyed her up and down, saying, " You look very smart. Your mother is a very handy woman with her needle. In fact, she is a very handy woman altogether. Do you know, I've always envied her. Yes, even in her plight and her struggles. What would I not have given to have a family, to have a daughter just like you. But there it is, man proposes and God disposes. But come; we must get away if you are to arrive at your post on time. " Her hand went out again now to Anna's head and she said, "

How nice it is to see you in a hat. Why must the young and the old be expected to wear bonnets? I could never stand them. "

She turned now to Ethel Mead, who was standing apart, and called to her, "Doesn't she look beautiful, Ethel?"

Ethel adjusted her winged, starched cap, then the shoulder straps of her bib bed white apron before she said, "Well, I've always been learned that and some is as and some does. So, I suppose you can say the same for beauty."

"Oh, don't hurt yourself in your praise, Ethel." Miss Netherton laughed, then added, "Is that all you've got to say to Anna?"

The elderly woman now turned and looked at the slim young girl, and, her face softening, she said, "I hope it's a good start in life for you, an' I wish you well."

"Thank you, Ethel, thank you so much." Yet even as she spoke she knew that whereas Miss Netherton was sorry to lose her, Ethel would be glad to see the back of her, for she was devoted to her mistress and was naturally jealous of anyone she imagined was taking her place in Miss Netherton's affections.

But in the yard, Robert Stoddart showed sincere heartiness and goodwill as he assisted her into the brake, saying, "Up! with you then, miss, and let's get you to that school an' knock sense into those hairns.

What d'you say, ma'am?"

"I say the same as you, Rob: let's get her there; but we'll never arrive on time if you stand chattering and arranging rugs. We can see to ourselves. Get up, man! "

Anna exchanged a smile with the neatly dressed, small lady now sitting opposite her, and yet again she thought, how wonderful this little woman is. How she could talk, even chatter to her servants, whom others would class as menials and beneath their notice, and yet still hold their deep respect.

There were those, however, beyond the household, who regarded her with fear, for wasn't she a property owner?

As they reached the village she told herself to sit straight and hold her head high, for they could do nothing to her when she was with Miss Netherton. Only once before had she ventured to pass through the village on her own, and she had ended up in the wood crying her eyes out, while beating her fists against the tree trunk, imagining she was pummelling the face of the blacksmith's younger son, who had made a gesture to her that she would never forget, and which she knew she dare not speak of to her ma or dada. As peace-loving as her father was, she knew he would have gone into the village and taken a whip with him, for his fists would have been no match for Arthur Lennon.

Miss Netherton now leant towards her and in a raised voice to cover the noise of the wheels on the rutted road and the trotting of the horse, she said, "There's one thing I'm not sure of, and that is how Miss Benfield will view that lovely dress."

"Why?" Anna now drew the sides of her cape apart and looked down on the grey woollen dress while adding, "It's plain."

"Yes, my dear, it's plain for many occasions; but the waist is not straight. You see, it comes to a point, as does the neckline. I never thought about asking her if she had any rules on uniform. Still' she flung her arms up 'what does it matter? The children will like it, and they'll like you. You'll be a figure of interest. Oh, yes, compared with the other two I saw." She chuckled now.

"I didn't ask her if

she had a decent cook, but anyway, I'm sure you'll get enough to sustain you at dinner time. It is in your agreement that you get one meal. I understand that the children leave at four, but that the teachers have to tidy up the schoolrooms and check the work that has been done during the day. You will soon get into the routine. But there's going to be a snag with the winter coming on. It will be dark and although the two miles or so will be nothing to walk in the summer, it will be quite different later on. And the nights are cutting in quickly now. Have you thought. ? "

"There's a carrier cart leaves the market at ten past five. I shall get that."

"Oh, well, that won't be so bad; but you'll still have the fields to cross."

"Father or the boys will meet me; at least, some one will."

"Ah!" And Miss Netherton sat back against the padded rail of the brake.

"We are about to enter the underworld. Sit up straight. But then, you are sitting up straight; you always sit up straight. But don't look at me, look from side to side. Keep talking, chatter about anything; look amiable, as if you were used to this early journey every day because, you know, they'll be at their doors and gates before we reach the end of the village. John Fenton will stop cutting his bacon and he'll call to his wife and his mother to come and see, and she'll say, " Where're they off to at this time in the mornin'? " Miss Netherton went on chatting and looking around, as she had bidden Anna to do, and she, taking up her mood, said in a light tone, " Mr. Cole is unloading a carcass from his handcart. There's a young man with him; I suppose it's his son. "

"That'll be Stan. Yes, that'll be Stan, the apple of his mother's eye or the orange in the pig's mouth."

Anna only just managed to stop throwing her head back and letting out a peal of laughter. Then she muttered, "Mrs. Fawcett, the Parson's wife, has just emerged from The Vicarage Lane."

"Oh, I must bow to her. How far is she down?"

"She'll be in your view within the next' she paused 'ten seconds, I should say."

The Parson's wife had stopped on the grass verge that surrounded the village pump, and Miss Netherton, looking as it were across Anna's shoulder, inclined her head to the woman and smiled, whilst saying under her breath Just turn your head slightly. Don't smile, just glance at her, then look at me again and go on talking. "

It was like a scene in one of the little plays that she wrote for Christmas, so that they could all join in.

Miss Netherton was saying, "By the look on her face I think she's going to have a seizure, and they will have to send for Doctor Snell.

You know, I think my driving through the village is the only entertainment they ever have. "

At the end of the straggling street the road began to narrow to become no wider than a lane, and it was here that they met up with an approaching gig and Miss Netherton, standing up and looking over Rob Stoddart's shoulder, said, "Pull into the side a moment, Rob, and pull up."

The open carriage had been approaching at a pace, but now the horses dropped into a trot and were brought to a stop by the side of the brake. Two men were sitting in the front, and the one holding the reins touched his cap and, bending forward, said, "Good day. Miss Netherton. You're out early."

"Apparently I'm not the only one, Simon ... or you, Raymond." She turned her head slightly to address the other man and he said, "I could give you two hours or more. Miss Netherton; I've had a gallop already."

"Oh, my goodness! You have almost done a day's work." There was sarcasm in the tone. Then looking at the man she had addressed as Simon, she said, "Oh, Simon, may I introduce my companion. Miss Dagshaw. Miss Dagshaw, Mr. Brodrick."

The man's eyes had widened just the slightest, and there may have been a slight hesitation before his hand went to his cap again, as he said,

"Pleased to make your acquaintance. Miss Dagshaw."

Anna gave no reply, but inclined her head in acknowledgement. Then her gaze was lifted to the other man. He was looking at her through narrowed lids, but he did not acknowledge the introduction.

And Miss Netherton, quick to notice this, put in hastily, "Well, we must be away or we'll be late for an appointment. Good-bye, Simon.

Goodbye, Raymond. " The two men again touched their caps in salute, and Rob Stoddart said, " Gee up! there. " And they went bowling down the lane.

It was some minutes before Miss Netherton spoke; and when she did it was to ask the question: "Do you know who those gentlemen were?"

"Yes."

"Oh, you've met them before?"

"No. But I've seen them in the distance when the hunt was on, or in the early morning, when one or other of them rode past the bottom of the land when making for the moor. I ... I didn't know who they were until Dada pointed them out to me."

"Well, if you ever write that story you are always talking about, you could do worse than set it in my previous home; you could even use our family, for you would find good material there. It wouldn't be so exciting as this present family, though, because there was no malice in it."

"There is malice among them?"

"Oh, yes. Yes. There are very few saints in the world, Anna; we're all a mixture of good and bad. Well, those two brothers have got their share, with more good than bad in Simon, but more bad than good in Raymond; at least, that's how I see them. And from my experience, it's the good one that always gets hold of the rotten end of the stick.

Simon is the younger by a year, so Raymond is in charge of the estate, the farms, and some of their business deals, such as the Beulah mine.

They don't own it, but have a good share of it, and by all accounts he is a hard enough taskmaster. The brothers are like chalk and cheese, as brothers often are. Poor old Simon has tied himself well and truly to that house, with his mother, wife and child. "

At this point she took a long-handled umbrella and poked Rob in the back with it, saying, "Do you

purposely look out for holes in the road, man? I won't have a tooth left in my head shortly. "