But what could they know of this violent longing.

Mr. and Mrs. Greville were clearly hurt but Anthony understood.

“Go,” he said.

“This place meant something to you when you were young and impressionable. You see it different now you’re grown up. You’ll come back and then I’ll be waiting for you.”

He understood as no one else could.

I did love him but not in the wild unreasoning way I had loved before. I knew I was saying goodbye (but he said au revoir) to the best of men.

All the same, when the day of my departure arrived I felt more like the young girl I had once been than I had for nine long weary years.

TWO

It was dark when I arrived at the Schloss Klocksburg so that it was not until morning that I was able to take stock of my surroundings. I awoke to the sunshine of an early summer’s morning which filtered into my room through two long narrow slits of window. A feeling of overpowering excitement was with me and for a few moments I lay still, saying to myself: “I’m here. I’m back.”

Then I got out of bed and went to the window. From it I could look down on to the plateau from which the castle rose; I knew we were high because of the laborious manner in which the horses had climbed the previous evening; and I guessed that the castle had been built in the twelfth or thirteenth century, like so many I had seen in this part of the world, as a fortress, and had been added to as time progressed.

I was sure that the fortress in which I had my room was older than the buildings I was looking down on. These would be known as the Randhausburg, which meant surrounding house-castle, and they would contain the main living-quarters.

Beyond them I could look down into the valley to the town of Rochenburg which was the capital city of Duke Carl’s domain. How beautiful it was in the light of early morning, with its mellowed roof-tops, its towers and turrets. Smoke was rising from some of the chimneys. Far above it on the hill stood another castle of imposing appearance. Like the Schloss Klocksburg there was the fortress with its turrets rising up stark from the mountainside, proclaiming its impregnability; I could make out the machicolated friezes which adorned the watch tower, and the round tower with the pointed roof and battlements from which in the past boiling oil and water would have been hurled down on attacking enemies. It was the most impressive of any among all the many castles I had ever seen.

A knock on my door made me turn from the window. It was a maid with hot water. Breakfast would arrive in fifteen minutes’ time, she told me.

In a state of exultation I washed and dressed. I shook out my long dark hair in the way Maximilian had liked it to be when we had taken our breakfast in the hunting lodge. The magic was coming back to me so vividly that I don’t think I should have been surprised to see him walk in, but when there was a knock on the door it was only the maid with my break fast tray-coffee, rye bread and lots of fresh unsalted butter. It tasted good and while I was drinking my second cup of coffee there was another knock and Frau Graben came in.

She was beaming and looked as though she were very proud of herself.

“So you’re really here,” she said.

It was gratifying to know that my presence gave her so much pleasure.

“Oh, I do hope you are going to be happy,” she went on.

“I’ve impressed on Dagobert that he must be a good boy because it is a great honour that an English lady should come all this way to teach him. If you have any difficulty with him just tell him that his father will not be pleased; that will quieten him. It always does.”

“When shall I see them?”

“As soon as you’re ready. Perhaps you’d like to talk to them a bit about what you’re going to teach them. You won’t want to start lessons today. When you`’ve seen them I will take you round the castle.”

“Thank you. I shall be most interested to see it. That’s a very big castle I can see from my window.”

She smiled.

“That’s the Duke’s residence,” she said. oh yes, it’s more grand than little Klocksburg, which is only right and proper. I came to the royal castle when I was a young girl and looked after the boys. It became like home to me. And then afterwards the Count wanted me here. That was when Dagobert was born and he didn’`t know what to do with the child. After that Fritzi and Liesel joined us. But drink up your coffee or it will get cold. Is it to your liking? “

I said it was excellent.

“I believe you are quite excited about being here. I can see it’s done you good already.”

I replied that I hoped I should give satisfaction. I had never taught before.

“This isn’t ordinary teaching,” she said with that comfortable complacency which I had found rather charming.

“It’s conversation that matters, so that they get the right accent. That’s what the Count will look for.”

“I’m very eager to see them.”

They’ll have had breakfast. I’ll send for them to come to the schoolroom. “

We left my room and descended a spiral staircase which led into a hall.

“This is where the schoolroom is,” she said.

“Are we in the RandhausburgT ” No . we’re still in the fortress. The children have their rooms here just below yours, but the rest of the household lives more in the Randhausburg. “

She opened a door.

“This is the schoolroom,” she said.

“The pastor comes to teach them. You will have to make your arrangements with him about the English lessons.”

“There should be a lesson every day,” I said.

“I am sure regularity is necessary. Perhaps an hour a day and very soon I hope to converse in English when I am with them, and perhaps take them for walks and give them easy lessons that way.”

“That sounds excellent.”

We went into the schoolroom quite a large room with several embrasures in which were windows looking down on the town and across to the royal castle. The view from the windows was breathtaking.

There was a long table, rather scratched on its surface, and the legs were kicked-I guessed many generations of children had sat at that table. In the embrasures were window-seats on which lay books.

I remarked that it was a very pleasant room in which to work.

Frau Graben glanced at the watch pinned to her blouse.

“They will be here very soon,” she said.

“I do hope they are not going to be too difficult.”

There was a knock on the door and one of the maids entered; she was holding a little girl by the hand and behind her came two boys.

“This is Dagobert and Fritz and here is Liesel,” said Frau Graben.

Dagobert clicked his heels and bowed from the waist; Fritz, watching him, did the same; Liesel dropped a curtsey.

“This is Miss Trant who has come to teach you English.”

“Good morning,” said Dagobert in guttural English.

“Good morning,” I replied. Dagobert looked at his brother and sister as though expecting applause.

I smiled at them.

“We shall soon have you all speaking English,” I said in German.

“Is it easy?”

“When you`’ve mastered it,” I assured them.

Shall I speak it? ” asked Liesel.

“You will all speak it.”

Frau Graben said: “I will leave you with the children and then you can get to know them more easily. Perhaps they could show you the castle.

That would be a good way of getting friendly. “

I thanked her. She was tactful, and I was sure that I could come to terms with my new pupils more easily on my own.

Liesel ran to the door as it shut on Frau Graben. I said:

“Come back, Liesel, and make my acquaintance.”

Liesel turned and put her tongue out at me.

Dagobert said: “She’s only a seamstress’s daughter. She doesn’`t know how to behave.”

Liesel began to scream: “I do. My papa is the Count. He will beat you.

My papa loves me. “

“Our father would not have you forget your manners,” said Dagobert.

“So although you have the misfortune to be the daughter of a common seamstress, you have a noble father and you should not disgrace him.”

“You disgrace him,” said Liesel.

Dagobert turned to me: Take no notice of her, Fraulein Trant,” he said; but his eyes as they swept over me were contemptuous and it struck me that I should have more trouble with him than with the wayward Liesel.

Fritz-Frau Graben’s Fritzi-had not spoken. He was regarding me with solemn dark eyes. It occurred to me that he might be the more difficult to understand. I had already decided that Dagobert was a young braggart, Liesel a spoilt child, but I had yet to form an opinion of Fritz.

“So you are Fritz,” I said.

He nodded.

“You’re not to nod,” said Dagobert.

“Papa said so. You have to speak and say yes or no.”

I said: “You are going to learn English. Do you know any yet?”

“I know Good afternoon, Mr.”

“Good afternoon, Mrs,” chanted Liesel.

Dagobert crowned it with: “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen!” and watched me for applause.

“That is all very well,” I said, ‘but will not get you very far. What else do you know? “

“God save the Queen!” said Dagobert.

“We shouted it when the Queen of England came here. We all had flags and had to wave them.” He waved an imaginary flag; then he started to run round the room shouting: “God save the Queen.”

I said: “Please be quiet now, Dagobert. The Queen is not here so it is not necessary. You have shown me how you shouted for her when she was here, so I know.”