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Rob answered with a grunt and went on talking to his horse as he guided her over the rough potholed track.

Anna said, "The mother is an invalid, I understand?"

"Yes. She broke her back while holidaying in Switzerland some years ago and has been on a spinal carriage ever since. Well, that's when she's not in bed; but she can be wheeled about on this carriage, you see. And Simon has that job most of the time; she never lets him out of her sight. But I must admit he's very fond of her."

The father? Isn't he there? "

"No. Arnold Brodrick travels. My own papa and he could have been brothers in their desire for travel, although in Arnold Brodrick's case it's to get away from responsibility, a sick wife and a vixen of a daughter-in-law. Now, you could get your teeth into that family for a story, as I said. Oh, yes, yes. By the way, have you written anything lately besides those little rhymes of yours?"

"I ... I started, but the only thing I could write about with any strength of feeling was our family because, I've got to face it, I've had no experience of the world. Nor have any of us, have we?"

"Well, I won't say that. I think you've all had experience of reactions of some members of the world, and forcibly. And you know, Anna' she now leant forward and gripped Anna's knee' it isn't ended. In your own particular case, and perhaps that of Cherry, it's just beginning. Men can fight the stigma in their own way. Although they feel it deeply, the male in them won't let them admit it. I've known some even to brag about it; at least, if their lineage just might have been connected with those in high places. Your mother and father, you know, and of course you do know, have defied convention, they have spat in its eye;

but they picked the wrong place to do it, near the narrow confines of a village. If they had chosen to live in the city or some large town it could have passed unnoticed, or nearly so. But if one desires to be burnt alive, then I would say go and live in a village and do something that half of them would like to do but haven't the courage.

Oh, it's amazing how frustrated desire can appear under the heading of righteousness. But it's been so all down the ages. I think I've said it to you before, I'm sure I have' she tossed her head and laughed now'I've said so much to you. You're the only one, you know, I can talk to without keeping my tongue in my cheek. But what I am going to say now is, you must read the Greeks, more philosophy, Plato, Aristotle. Your father, naturally, hasn't touched on these except for his own entertainment. He's immersed in the later Roman period, isn't he? But you would garner wisdom from Aristotle. Well, just give it another name, common sense. Of course, you will find that philosophers, being human beings, will contradict themselves here and there, and each other. But you can blow away the chaff from the wheat and use it to your own advantage.

"A-ha!" she now exclaimed.

"Here we go into the street of learning.

You know, my dear'again

she was bending forward "I wish I could have started you off in some better place, but I know you understand the reasons. And as I've also said, do a year or so here, by which time you will have had experience, then maybe I'll be able to talk sense and charity into one or two scholastic friends. At least, I hope so. Females, you know, are much more difficult to deal with than men. I prefer men any day in the week. In fact, I don't like women. Did you know that? I just don't like women. Of course, in your case you will have to look out for both men and women, for from the looks of you, you will have trouble with the former in one way and with the latter in more ways than one."

Wasn't it odd, Anna thought, that this kindly, lovable benefactress should have that one flaw:

she would never let her forget that she had an obstacle to surmount, that there would always be this obstacle, but it was not surmountable.

How ever, she put out her hand and gripped the older woman's, saying,

"Whatever happens to me from now on, there won't be a moment of my life in which I will stop thanking you for what you have done for me, and not only for me, but for my family. Now, don't get up. I'll have to be on my own from today but I shall slip across tonight and tell you all my news and how I have implanted wisdom and knowledge into five and six-year-olds, or perhaps the nines or tens ... never the fourteens. I think I'll be a long time before I reach the fourteen-year-olds in Miss Benfield's Academy."

"Go on with you! And my wishes go with you. You know that." She pushed her towards the back of the brake, where Rob had pulled down the step, and as he helped her to the ground he said, "Best of luck, miss.

Best of luck." Then leaning towards her, he whispered, "Knock it into

'em.

And I bet you'll have to do just that with some. "

"Shut up! you, and get back about your business."

Anna gave one last look at her friend before walking towards the green-painted door and pulling on the iron-handled bell.

The brake had disappeared half-way down the street before the door was opened and a small dishevelled maid of no more than twelve years old pulled the door open, let her enter, closed it, then, adjusting a none-too-clean print cap, said, "When you come, I 'ad to show you to the dinin'-room. It's down 'ere." She crossed the narrow hall and opened a door from which stone steps led down to the basement.

Anna followed her, but at the bottom step she paused for a moment and gazed in amazement at what she saw was the kitchen. But all she could take in was the rough stone floor, a black stove, a wooden table, and to the side of it a stone sink, and, at the far end was the grating through which she had seen the steam emerge. It was that grating that afforded the only light in the room.

Then the little maid was knocking on a door, and when she received the command to enter, she pushed it open and stood aside, and Anna walked into what was used as the dining-room, but which she recognised instantly was just a part of the

kitchen that had been partitioned off. On the far wall was the sash window that should have given light to the whole room.

Miss Benfield was sitting at a table on which there was the remains of a cooked breakfast: there was a greasy plate in front of her which showed the traces of egg yolk. Another person was also in the room; she was standing behind a chair.

Miss Benfield looked steadily at Anna for a full minute before she drew in a sharp breath; then, as if diverted by the slight throaty noise the other woman had made, she turned to her, saying, "This is Miss Kate Benfield, a relative, and my first assistant."

Anna looked at the woman across the table and inclined her head and smiled, but she received no answering smile, merely a slight movement of the head.

Anna thought she had never seen anyone with such a miserable countenance, and on this admittedly slight acquaintance, she appeared to be the antithesis of her relative. The only resemblance was in their height, both women being tall, but this one was thin, so thin she looked emaciated.

"You are not suitably dressed."

"What! Why?"

"When you speak to me, you will address me as Miss Benfield."

"Why do you consider me not suitably dressed, Miss Benfield?" She turned her glance quickly from the big woman to the slight one because she thought she had heard her gasp. Then again she was looking at her employer, for she was saying, "You wish to be a pupil teacher, then you should have some idea of how such a one should appear before a class of children. The uniform is as Miss Kate's here: a white blouse and a black skirt, that to reach the top of your boots or shoes." She leant her head sideways, observing Anna's grey skirt, which was showing an inch of stocking between the hem of her dress and the black laces of her shoes.

"I'm afraid. Miss Benfield, that I do not possess a black skirt and white blouse, at least, that is, at present, but I have a dark blue dress and I will come attired in it tomorrow and until such time as I can acquire a suitable uniform."

Miss Benfield was on her feet, her huge chest heaving as if being assisted by a pump.

"You are getting off to a bad start, young woman.

Now, let me inform you there is a way to address me and there is a way not to address me. And if you wish to continue here, and rise in this establishment, you will learn that, and quickly. Your tone is anything but deferential, which manner you would be wise to adopt in future.

Have I made myself plain? "

"Very plain. Miss Benfield."

The breasts rose and threatened the buttons on the black satin blouse;

then the indignant lady turned to her first assistant and said, "You will take Miss Dagshaw and introduce her to the duties required of her today."

The first assistant turned sharply away and made for the door and, after staring at the woman's back for a moment, Anna turned as abruptly and followed her through the kitchen, past the little maid, who was scooping ashes from the hearth, up the dark stone stairway and into the hall; thence down

a passage to a room that had been partitioned off.

There were no desks in this room, but there were two long, narrow tables, each with its backless bench, and so placed one in front of the other that the children sitting at them would be facing the blackboard attached to a wall. There was a cupboard opposite the door, and this Miss Kate Benfield opened. It contained four shelves; and she started at the top. Taking down two boxes, she pointed to the pieces of cardboard inside, saying briefly, "The alphabet. You know how to teach that, don't you? You hold them up like this." She picked up a piece of cardboard.

"You ask them what that is; then you make them all repeat it ten times.

Then, according to how far they're advanced, you do, cat, dog, rat, mat, sat, and fat. You've done this, I suppose?"

Anna made no response, so the woman put the boxes back, saying, "That occupies the first hour." Then pointing to the second shelf, on which there were a number of tattered-backed books, she said, "Nursery rhymes. They'll know some of these already, having learned them at home." She was now pointing to the third shelf.

"These trays are for clay," she said.

"You'll find the clay in there," and she pointed to two tin boxes.

"But you won't need these until the afternoon. They are getting tired by then. But these' she was lifting some picture books from the bottom shelf 'these are for the last hour in the morning.

You can hand these out if they are getting restless, and ask them to tell stories about the pictures of the animals or birds. Think you can do that? "

"I should think so." Anna's tone was cold and it wasn't lost on the woman, for she said, "Well, you knew what you were in for, and you're starting at the bottom."

There was something in the voice that didn't match the countenance and caused Anna to say, Thank you for your help. You're right. I'm starting at the bottom. By the way, may I enquire what relation you are to Miss Benfield? "

"Cousin."

"Oh."

"Yes, cousin." The head was nodding now and it seemed to Anna that she might have said something further about the relationship but, the hall clock striking nine, she said, "That's fast. It's ten minutes to. The horde will be arriving at any second now," and on this she smartly left the room.

Anna turned and surveyed the small room and the cupboard, and her thoughts were not that very soon she would be attempting to teach small children for the first time but that she would be spending the whole day in this airless, dusty little square. And when her mind touched on her home she closed her eyes for a moment as she muttered, Oh, dear God! I don't think I can stand this.

"Quiet now! Quiet now! Go to your rooms." The voice brought her eyes springing wide and a hand to her throat. She was here and she must stay and put up with it. There was Miss Netherton to think about, besides her ma and dada.

"Miss Dagshaw."

She started slightly as she heard her name bellowed from the hall, and she hurried along the

passage, there to see Miss Benfield surrounded by eight small figures, while other children were making their way up the stairs. It would seem, though, that there was some impediment on the stairs, for a number of them stopped, so blocking the way for the rest, and they all turned and looked down on her.

Leaving the small children. Miss Benfield smartly stepped into the passage and almost hissed at Anna, "Haven't you the sense to take off your coat and hat? Are you thinking about teaching the children like that?"

Bristling now, Anna said, "Well, will you kindly tell me, please, where I can hang my coat and hat?"

Miss Benfield swallowed; then, turning to the children, she said,

"Margaret, show Miss Dagshaw where the teachers' room is."

The small girl sidled past Anna, hardly taking her eyes from her; then ran back along the corridor, turned a corner and pushed open a door.

"Thank you."

Anna now saw that the teachers' room consisted of two cubicles, the first holding three wooden chairs, a two-foot-by-one table, and a row of wooden pegs attached to the wall. It also had half a window and this was uncurtained. But when she pushed open the door in the partition she saw that the other half of the window was covered by a yellow-paper roller blind and that below it was a wooden frame with a hole in it, and directly below the opening was a tin bucket.

She closed the door quickly, drew in a long breath, took off her hat and hung it on one of the hooks, with her cloak under it. Her cloth handbag,

in which was her purse, she kept in her hand; then, opening the door, she made for her classroom, which was but a few steps away.

The children were already seated, eight bright faces, well-washed and well-fed-looking faces, and as she returned their stares she wondered at the parents who would allow their children to be taught in a place like this.

"Good morning, children."

"Good morning, miss." The voices came at her one after the other.

There followed a silence in which she wondered what she should say; then she was saying it.