She looked a little furtive, and I knew that something significant had happened.

” Miss Leigh,” she said, ” there will be things which we have to discuss. I was wondering if you would come to my room. I have the kettle on. Could you drink a cup of tea?”

I said I would like that. I was very anxious that there should be no difference in our relationship which, from my point of view, had always been a very pleasant and dignified one.

In her room we drank tea. There was no suggestion of whisky this time, and this secretly amused me although I made no reference to it. I should be the mistress of the house, and it was very different for her to know of the tea-tippling than the mere governess.

She again congratulated me on my engagement and told me how delighted she was. ” In fact,” she said, ” the whole household is delighted.”

She asked me then if I intended to make changes, and I answered that, while the household was so efficiently run by herself, I should make none at all.

This was a relief to her, I could see, and she settled down to come to the point.

” While you’ve been away. Miss Leigh, there’s been a bit of excitement in these parts.”

” Oh?” I said, feeling that we were now coming to the reason for my visit.

” It’s all along of the sudden death of Sir Thomas Treslyn.”

My heart had begun to leap in a disconcerting manner.

” But,” I said, ” he is buried now. We went to his funeral.”

” Yes, yes. But that need not be the end. Miss Leigh.”

” I don’t understand, Mrs. Polgrey.”

” Well, there’s been rumours … nasty rumours, and letters have been sent.”

” To … to whom?”

” To her. Miss Leigh… to the widow. And, it seems, to others ..

and as a result they’re going to dig him up. There’s going to be an examination. “

” You mean … they suspect someone poisoned him?”

” Well, there’s been these letters, you see. And him dying so sudden.

What I don’t like is that he was here last. It’s not the sort of thing one likes to have connected with the house. “

She was looking at me oddly. I thought I saw speculation in her eyes.

I wanted to shut from my mind all the unpleasant thoughts which kept coming to me.

I saw again Connan and Lady Treslyn in the punch room together, their backs towards me . laughing together. Had Connan loved me then? One would not have thought so. I thought of the words they had spoken in my hearing when the party was over. ” It will not be long … now.”

She had said that . and to him. And then there was the conversation I had partly overheard in the woods.

What did this mean?

There was a question that hammered in my brain. But I would not let my mind dwell on it.

I dared not. I could not bear to see all my hopes of happiness shattered. I had to go on believing, so I would not ask myself questions.

I looked expressionlessly into Mrs. Polgrey’s face.

” I thought you’d want to know,” she said.

I was afraid, more afraid than I had ever been since I came to this house.

The body of Sir Thomas Treslyn, who had died after supping at Mount Mellyn, was to be exhumed. People were suspicious of the manner in which he died and, as a result, there had been anonymous letters. Why should they be suspicious? Because his wife wanted him out of the way; and it was known that Connan and Linda Treslyn had been lovers. There had been two obstacles to their union—Alice and Sir Thomas. Both had died suddenly.

But Connan had no wish to marry Lady Treslyn. He was in love with me.

A terrible thought bad struck me. Did Connan know that there was to be this exhumation? Had I been living in a fool’s paradise? Was my wonderful dream-come-true nothing but a living nightmare?

Was I being used by a cynic? Why did I not use the harsher word? Was I being used by a murderer7 I would not believe it. I loved Connan. I had sworn to be faithful to him all my life. How could I make such a vow when I believed the worst of him at the first crisis?

I tried to reason with myself. You’re crazy, Martha Leigh. Do you really think that a man such as Connan TreMellyn could suddenly fall in love with you’.

Yes, I do. I do, I retorted hotly.

But I was a frightened woman.

I could see that the household was divided between two topics of conversation: the exhumation of Sir Thomas and the proposed marriage of the master and the governess.

I was afraid to meet the stern eyes of Mrs. Polgrey, the lewd ones of Tapperty and the excited ones of his daughters. Did they, as I had begun to do, connect these two events? I asked Connan what he thought of the Treslyn affair. ” Mischief-makers,” he said. ” They’ll have an autopsy and find he died a natural death. Why, his doctor had been attending him for years and has always told him that he must expect to go off like that.”

” It must be very worrying for Lady Treslyn.”

” She will not worry unduly. Indeed, since she has been pestered by letter-writers she may well be relieved to have the matter brought to a head.”

I pictured the medical experts. They would no doubt be men who knew the Treslyns and Connan. As Connan was going to marry me—and he was very eager to spread the news—was it possible that they would approach the matter in a different spirit from that in which they would if they believed Lady Treslyn was eager to marry again? Who could say?

I must drive away these terrible thoughts. I would believe in Connan, I had to; if I did not I must face the fact that I had fallen in love with a murderer.

The invitations for the ball had gone out hastily too hastily, I thought. Lady Treslyn, being in mourning and with the autopsy pending, was of course not invited. It was to take place only four days after our return from Penlandstow.

Celestine and Peter Nansellock rode over the day before the ball.

Celestine put her arms about me and kissed me.

” My dear,” she said, ” how happy I am. I have watched you with Alvean and I know what this is going to mean to her.” There were tears in her eyes. ” Alice would be so happy.”

I thanked her and said: ” You have always been such a good friend to me.”

” I was so grateful that at last the child had found a governess who really understood her.”

I said: “I thought Miss Jansen did that.”

” Miss Jansen, yes. We all thought so. It was a pity she was not honest. Perhaps though it was the temptation of a moment. I did all I could to help her.”

” I’m so glad somebody did.”

Peter had come up. He took my hand and kissed it lightly. Connan’s look of displeasure made my heart beat fast with happiness, and I was ashamed of my suspicions.

” Fortunate Connan,” cried Peter exuberantly. ” No need to tell you how much I envy you, is there! I think I’ve made it dear. I’ve brought over Jacinth. I told you I’d make you a present of her, didn’t I? Well, she’s my wedding present. You can’t object to that, can you?”

I looked at Connan. ” A present for us both,” I said.

” Oh no,” said Peter. ” She’s for you. I’ll think of some thing else for Con.”

” Thank you, Peter,” I said. ” It’s most generous of you.”

He shook his head. ” Couldn’t bear the thought of her going to anyone else. I feel sentimental about that mare. I want a good home for her.

You know I’m going at the end of next week. “

” So soon?”

” Everything has been speeded up. There’s no point in delaying further.” He looked at me significantly; ” Now,” he added.

1 saw that Kitty, who was serving us with wine, was listening with all attention.

Celestine was talking earnestly to Connan, and Peter went on : ” So it’s you and Con after all. Well, you’ll keep him in order, Miss Leigh. I’m sure of that.”

” I’m not going to be his governess, you know.”

“I’m not sure. Once a governess, always a governess. I thought Alvean seemed not displeased by the new arrangement.”

” I think she’s going to accept me.”

” I think you’re an even greater favourite than Miss Jansen was.”

” Poor Miss Jansen! I wonder what became of her.”

” Celeste did something for her. She was rather worried about the poor girl, I think.”

” Oh, I’m so glad.”

” Helped her to find another place … with some friends of ours actually. The Merrivales who have a place on the edge of Dartmoor. I wonder how our gay Miss Jansen likes Hoodfield Manor. Finds it a bit dull, I should imagine, with Tavistock, the nearest town, quite six miles away.”

” It was very kind of Celestine to help her.”

” Well, that’s Celestine all over.” He lifted his glass. ” To your happiness, Miss Leigh. And whenever you ride Jacinth, think of me.”

” I shall … and of Jacinth’s namesake. Miss Jansen.”

He laughed. ” And if,” he went on, ” you should change your mind….”

I raised my eyebrows.

” About marrying Connan, I mean. There’ll be a little homestead for you on the other side of the world. You’ll find me ever faithful. Miss Leigh.”

I laughed and sipped my wine.

The next day Alvean and I went riding together, and I was mounted on Jacinth. She was a wonderful creature and I enjoyed every moment of the ride. I felt that this was another of the glorious things which were happening to me. I even had my own mount now.

The ball was a great success and I was surprised how ready the neighbourhood was to accept me. The fact that I had been Alvean’s governess was forgotten. I felt that Connan’s neighbours were reminding each other that I was an educated young woman and that my family background was passibly good. Perhaps those who were fond of him were relieved because he was engaged to be married, for they would not wish him to be involved in the Treslyn scandal.