Polly nodded.

"She was in there ... with Jos. They were ... on the floor together ... and ..."

"No!" cried Polly, aghast.

I nodded. "I saw them clearly."

Polly rocked gently back and forth. "This is a nice sort of how-di-do. I can believe anything of them two. A regular pair. I'd like to see her ladyship's face when she hears of this."

"You mustn't tell her, Polly."

"What! Let them go on till he leaves his signature on the family tree! That wouldn't be one for the drawing over the fireplace, I can tell you."

"She'd know that I told. I can't tell tales."

Polly sat quietly thinking. "Nor can you let this go on. And I wonder how far it has gone. She's a little ... er ... madam ... that one. As for him, I reckon he's his father all over again and no girl would be safe from him ... unless she had her head screwed on right, of course. I reckon it's got to be stopped. There could be big trouble ... and I wouldn't like even Lady Harriet to have that foisted on her."

"Perhaps I should speak to Lavinia."

"Not you. You keep out of it. You'd make her worse. I know her kind. We've got to do something, though. You leave it to me."

"Polly, you won't tell I saw them, will you?"

She shook her head. "I've given you my promise, haven't I?"

"Yes, but ..."

"Don't you worry, my love. I'll find some way and you can bet your life I'll see that you are not mixed up in this."

Polly was most inventive. She found the way.

It was a few days later. I went over to the House as usual. Lavinia was not to be found, nor was Jos. I hurried back to the rectory and told Polly, who was waiting to hear.

She told me to go to my room and read because she wanted me out of the way.

I heard what happened later.

Polly let Holly know that her lover was in the Framling haunted summer house with another woman. Holly wouldn't believe her at first, but after a while she went to investigate. Polly's assumption had been right. Holly came upon Jos and Lavinia, as Lavinia told me later, flagrante delicto. Poor Holly, she had been deceived by her lover, and finding him in such a position with another woman—even though she was Miss Lavinia—aroused her unbridled fury.

She shouted at him, cursing him and Miss Lavinia. He could not escape, because he was not fully dressed, and it was the same with Lavinia.

Holly's shouting was heard and several of the servants came hurrying, thinking a burglar had been caught.

It was disastrous, for it became a matter that could not be hidden from Lady Harriet herself.

Lavinia and Jos had been caught in the act.

There was certain to be a big storm.

I did not see Lavinia for some days. Polly told me what had happened and she had it from the horse's mouth via Mrs. Janson, who had had it from Mrs. Bright. Lavinia was confined to her room and something big was about to take place.

Jos could hardly be dismissed, as he was known as Reuben's son although he wasn't—so he would have to stay in the stables, because Reuben was too useful to be dispensed with and it was not fair that the sins of the children should be visited on their elders, even though it was the other way round in the Bible. If he had been caught with any of the servants it would have been a venial sin—but Miss Lavinia!

"I always knew what she was," commented Polly. "Plain as the nose on your face. You can be sure your sins will find you out ... and Madam Lavinia's have surely done that."

We waited to see what would happen and we did not have to wait long.

Lady Harriet sent for my father and they were in conference for a long time before he returned home. As soon as he came back he asked me to go to him.

"As you know," he said, "you were always intended to go away to school. Your mother and I used to plan for you before you were born. It mattered not whether you turned out to be a boy or a girl, we both believed absolutely in the necessity of education and your mother wanted the best for our child. As you have heard, there is some money—not a great deal, but perhaps adequate—and that has been set aside for your schooling. Miss York is a very good governess and Lady Harriet will do all in her power to find her another place, and with such a recommendation it should not be difficult. Polly ... well, she has always known that she could not be with you permanently and I believe she has a sister whom she can join ..."

I stared at him. It was not the thought of school that appalled me. I could only think of the loss of Polly.

"Lavinia will accompany you. Lady Harriet approves of the school and the two of you will be together."

Then I understood. Lady Harriet had decreed that Lavinia must go away. There must be an end to this disastrous affair with Jos. Separation was the only answer—and I was to go with her. Lady Harriet ruled our lives.

I said, "I don't want to go away to school, Father. I am sure Miss York is a wonderful teacher and I can do just as well with her."

"It is what your mother wanted for you," he said sadly. I thought: And it is what Lady Harriet wants!

I went straight to Polly. I flung my arms round her and clung to her.

"Polly, I can't leave you."

"Better tell me," she said.

"I'm going to school. Lavinia and I are going."

"I see. I see. This is because of madam's little prank, eh? I shouldn't think school is going to stop that one. So you are going away to school, eh?"

"I won't go, Polly."

"It might be good for you."

"What about you?"

"Well, I've always known this would come to an end one day or another. That was certain sure. I'll go to Eff. She's always on at me to come. There's nothing to fret about, lovey. You and me ... we'll always be friends. You'll know where I'll be and I'll know where you'll be. Don't be so downhearted. School will suit you, and then when you have your holidays you can come and stay with me and Eff. Eff would be so proud. So ... look on the bright side, there's a love. Life goes on, you know. It never stands still and you can't be Polly's baby forever."

It was getting better already.

Miss York took the news philosophically. She had been expecting it, she said. The rector had always told her that one day I should have to go away to school. She would find another post and the rector had said she must stay at the rectory until she did. Lady Harriet had promised to help her find another situation, so she was as good as fixed up.

It was about a week after Lavinia's exposure that I saw her.

She was smoulderingly resentful. She looked more like a tigress than a spoiled kitten. Her eyes were slightly red, so I knew she had been crying.

"What a fuss!" she said. "It was that awful girl Holly."

"Holly wasn't any different from you. Jos had made fools of you both."

"Don't you dare call me a fool, Drusilla Delany."

"I shall call you what I like. And you are a fool to do what you did, with a groom at that."

"You don't understand."

"Well, everybody else does, and it is why you are being sent away."

"You are being sent as well."

"That is only because you are going. I have to be with you."

She snorted. "I don't want you."

"I daresay my father could send me to another school."

"My mother would not allow that."

"We are not your mother's slaves, you know. We have freedom to do what we want to. If you are going to be objectionable I shall ask my father to send me away without you."

She looked a little alarmed at that.

"They treat me like a child," she said.

"Jos didn't."

She began to laugh. "He is a rogue," she said.

"That's what they all say."

"Oh ... but it was so exciting."

"You should be careful."

"I was ... if that woman hadn't come and found us in the summer house ..."

I turned away. I wondered what she would say if she knew what had led up to her discovery.

"He said I was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen."

"I think they all say that. They think it will get them what they want more quickly."

"They don't. And what do you know about it?"

"I've heard ..."

"Shut up," said Lavinia, and seemed near to tears.

We made a sort of truce. We were both going into a strange place and the only familiar things there would be each other. We were both a little pleased that we should not be alone.

We talked a good deal about school.

We spent two years at Meridian House. I fitted in quite well. I was immediately noticed as a bright child, and as such attracted the attention of the teachers. Lavinia was backward for her age, and showed no inclination to change that state. Moreover, she was arrogant and moody, which did not make her popular, and the fact of her exalted parentage—which she was apt to stress at first—was a deterrent rather than an asset. She had always expected those about her to fit in with her ways and it never occurred to her that she must adapt to others.

There was a boys' school close by and occasionally we saw the boys playing games on the green near the school. This caused a certain amount of excitement among a section of the girls, particularly on Sundays when we went to the village church for the morning service and the boys occupied the pews immediately opposite us. Of course, Lavinia was to the fore among these girls who had a marked interest in the boys. Notes were smuggled across the aisle, and Sunday morning church was the high spot of the week for some girls, for a reason which would not have pleased the vicar or our formidable headmistress, Miss Gentian.