“Well, Miss Leigh,” he said under cover of the singing, ” what do you think of a Cornish Christmas?”

” Very interesting.”

” You haven’t seen half yet.”

” I should hope not. The day has scarcely begun.”

” You should rest this afternoon.”

” But why?”

” For the feasting this evening.”

” But I …”

” Of course you will join us. Where else would you spend your Christmas Day? With the Polgreys? With the Tappertys?”

” I did not know. I wondered whether I was expected to hover between the great hall and the servants’ hall.”

” You look disapproving.”

” I am not sure.”

” Oh, come, this is Christmas. Do not wonder whether you should be sure or not. Just come. By the way, I have not wished you a merry Christmas yet. I have something here … a little gift. A token of my gratitude, if you like. You have been so good to Alvean since her accident. Oh, and before of course, I have no doubt. But it has been brought to my notice so forcibly since …”

” But I have only done my duty as a governess….”

” And that is something you would always do. I know it. Well, let’s say this is merely to wish you a merry Christmas.”

He had pressed a small object into my hand, and I was so overcome with pleasure that I felt it must show in my eyes and betray my feelings to him.

” You are very good to me,” I said. ” I had not thought…”

He smiled and moved away to the singers. I bad noticed Tapperty’s eyes on us. I wondered whether he had seen the gift handed to me.

I wanted to be alone, for I felt so emotionally disturbed. The small case he had pressed into my hand was demanding to be opened. I could not do so here.

I slipped out of the hall and ran up to my room.

It was a small, blue plush case, the sort which usually contained jewellery.

I opened it. Inside, on oyster-coloured satin, lay a brooch. It was in the form of a horseshoe, and it was studded with what could only be diamonds.

I stared at it in dismay. I could not accept such a valuable object. I must return it of course.

I held it up to the light and saw the flash of red and green in the stones. It must be worth a great deal of money. I possessed no diamonds, but I could see that these were fine ones.

Why did he do it? If it had been some small token I should have been so happy. I wanted to throw myself on to my bed and weep.

I could hear Alvean calling me. ” Miss, it’s time for church. Come on, Miss. The carriage is waiting to take us to church.”

I hastily put the brooch into its box and put on my cape and bonnet as Alvean came into the room.

I saw him after church. He was going across to the stables and I called after him.

He hesitated, looked over his shoulder and smiled at me.

” Mr. TreMellyn. It is very kind of you,” I said as I ran up to him, “but this gift is far too valuable for me to accept.”

He put his head on one side and regarded me in the old mocking manner.

” My dear Miss Leigh,” he said lightly. ” I am a very ignorant man, I fear. I have no notion how valuable a gift must be before it is acceptable.”

I flushed hotly and stammered: ” This is a very valuable ornament.”

” I thought it so suitable. A horseshoe means luck, you know. And you have a way with horses, have you not?”

” I … I have no occasion to wear such a valuable piece of jewellery.”

” I thought you might wear it to the ball tonight.”

For a moment I had a picture of myself dancing with him. I should be wearing Phillida’s green silk dress, which would compare favourably with those of his guests because Phillida had a way with clothes. I would wear my shawl, and my diamond brooch would be proudly flaunted on the green silk, because I treasured it so much, and I treasured it because he had given it to me.

” I feel I have no right.”

” Oh,” he murmured, ” I begin to understand. You feel that I give the brooch in the same spirit as Mr. Nansellock offered Jacinth.”

” So …” I stammered, ” you knew of that?”

” Oh, I know most things that go on here. Miss Leigh. You returned the horse. Very proper and what I would expect of you. Now the brooch is given in a very different spirit. I give it to you for a reason. You have been good to Alvean. Not only as a governess but as a woman. Do you know what I mean? There is more to the care of a child, is there not, than arithmetic and grammar. You gave her that little extra. The brooch belonged to Alvean’s mother. Look upon it like this, Miss Leigh: It is a gift of appreciation from us both. Does that make it all right?”

I was silent for a few moments. Then I said : ” Yes … that is different, of course. I accept the brooch. Thank you very much, Mr. TreMellyn. “

He smiled at me—it was a smile I did not fully understand, because it seemed to hold in it many meanings.

I was afraid to try to understand.

” Thank you,” I murmured again; and I hurried back to the house.

I went up to my room and took out the brooch. I pinned it on my dress, and immediately my lavender cotton took on a new look.

I would wear the diamonds tonight. I would go in Phillida’s dress and my comb and shawl, and on my breast I would wear Alice’s diamonds.

So on this strange Christmas Day I had a gift from Alice.

I had dined in the middle of the day in the small dining room with Connan and Alvean, the first meal I had taken with them in this intimacy. We had eaten turkey and plum pudding and had been waited on by Kitty and Daisy. I could feel that certain significant looks were being directed towards us.

” On Christmas Day,” Connan had said, ” you could not be expected to dine alone. Do you know, Miss Leigh, I fear we have treated you rather badly. I should have suggested that you should go home to your family for Christmas. You should have reminded me.”

” I felt I had been here too short a time to ask for a holiday,” I answered. ” Besides …”

” In view of Alvean’s accident, you felt you should stay,” he murmured. “It is good of you to be so thoughtful.”

Conversation in the small dining room was animated. The three of us discussed the Christmas customs, and Connan told us stories of what had happened in previous years, how on one occasion the wassailers had arrived late so that the family had gone to church and they had to wait outside and serenade them all the way home.

I imagined Alice with him now. I imagined her sitting in the chair I now occupied. I wondered what the conversation was like then. I wondered if now, seeing me there, he was thinking of Alice.

I kept reminding myself that it was merely because it was Christmas that I was sitting here. That after the festivities were over I should revert to my old place.

But I was not going to think of that now. Tonight I was going to the ball. Miraculously I had a dress worthy of the occasion. I had a comb of amber and a brooch of diamonds. I felt. Tonight I shall mingle with these people on my own terms. It will be quite unlike that occasion when I danced in the solarium.

I took Connan’s advice that afternoon and tried to rest so that I might stay fresh until the early morning. Much to my surprise I did manage to sleep. I must have slept lightly for I dreamed, and as so often in this house, my dreams were of Alice. I thought that she came to the ball, a shadowy wraith of a figure whom no one but I could see, and she whispered to me as I danced with Connan: ” This is what I want, Marty. I like to see this.

I like to see you sitting in my chair at luncheon. I like to see your hand in that of Connan. You . Marty . you . not another. “

I awoke with reluctance. That was a pleasant dream. I tried to sleep again, tried to get back to that half-world where ghosts came back from the tomb and told you that they longed for you to have all that you most wanted in life.

Daisy brought me a cup of tea at five o’clock. On Mrs. Polgrey’s instructions, she told me.

” I’ve broughtee a piece of Mrs. Polgrey’s fuggan to take with it,” she said, indicating a slice of raisin cake. ” If there’s more you do want, ‘tis only for you to say.”

I said : ” This will be ample.”

” Then you’ll be wanting to get ready for the ball, will ‘ee not, Miss?”

” There’s plenty of time,” I told her.

” I’ll bring ‘ee hot water at six, Miss. That’ll give ‘ee plenty of time to dress. The Master ‘un be receiving the guests at eight. That’s how it always was. And don’t forget—’tis but buffet supper at nine, so there’s a long time to go afore you’ get more to eat. Are you sure you wouldn’t like something more than that there piece of fuggan?”

I was sure I was going to find it difficult to eat what she had brought so I said: ” This is quite enough. Daisy.”

” Well, ‘tis for you to say, Miss.”

She stood at the door a moment, her head on one side, watching me.

Speculatively? Was she regarding me with a new interest?

I pictured them in the servants’ hall, Tapperty leading the conversation.

Were they always wondering what new relationship had begun—or was about to begin—between the Master of the house and the governess?

I was at the ball in Phillida’s green dress with the tight, low-cut bodice and the billowing skirt. I had dressed my hair differently, piling it high on my head; it was necessary to do so in order to do justice to the comb. On my dress sparkled the diamond brooch.

I was happy. I could mingle with the guests as one of them. No one would know, unless told, that I was only the governess.

I had waited until the ballroom was full before I went down. Then I could best mingle with the guests. I had only been there a few minutes when Peter was at my elbow.