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The following morning Anna was sitting in the big chair to the side of the fire, her feet on a raised crack et and a rug over her knees.

Earlier, her mother had said, "A day in bed won't do you any harm after that experience," and she had looked from her to her father and said,

"I'm half expecting a visitor and please, Ma and Dada, I'd be grateful if you didn't leave me alone during the time he is here."

They both looked hard at her, and Nathaniel had answered for them both,

"As you wish, my dear, as you wish ..."

It was around half-past eleven when Simon arrived. After politely greeting Maria and Nathaniel, he said to Anna, "I have come empty-handed. I'm very sorry, but they can't get your dress clean. The turpentine with which they tried to clean it has itself left a stain, and I'm afraid I must replace it in some way." Then after a pause, he asked quietly, "How are you feeling?"

"Almost quite well, thank you."

"Almost?" He turned and looked at Maria, but she refrained from commenting, saying only, "Will you take a seat, sir?"

"Thank you."

"Can I get you something to drink?"

"JNo, no; but thank you all the same. I'm on my way to town, but ..

but I thought I might call in and not only see your daughter' he glanced at Anna 'but express my regrets and concern for what happened to her yesterday. "

When neither of her parents spoke, he turned to Anna again and said,

"We have a very unruly boy on our hands this morning. I think I must see about a tutor for him straight away else he's going to get out of hand altogether."

Anna asked quietly, "You told him that ... that I wouldn't be coming back?"

"Yes, I did. I thought it would be better to do so, but then regretted it at once, because we had tears and stamping of feet." He turned again towards Nathaniel and Maria, adding now, "I have never known him throw a tantrum like it, nor has his old nurse."

"Children soon adjust," said Maria now; 'with love and kindness they soon forget. "

"Well, in his case, I hope so."

He got to his feet and, looking from Anna to Maria, he said, "Would it be in order if, when I'm in the city, I make arrangements for a dress to be sent, or one or two from which to ... ?"

"No, sir.7 It was Nathaniel speaking.

"My daughter is not short of dresses, as my wife is very clever with her needle."

"Oh yes, I'm sure she is." Simon smiled at Maria.

"I was only thinking, that as her dress was ruined..."

"It is very kind of you, sir, and I understand that you might feel obliged to make good what has been spoilt, but I can assure you there's no need." Nathaniel stepped to the side now, and it would seem it was an invitation for the guest to take his leave.

After a moment's pause Simon again looked at Anna, saying, "I will call soon, if I, may, to see how you are faring." She simply inclined her head towards him and he turned and went out, followed by Nathaniel.

Butimmediately outside the door, he stopped and, facing Nathaniel, he said, "I'm sorry if you took my suggestion in the wrong way, sir. I only wish to ..."

"I knew how your suggestion was meant, Mr. Brodrick, but you are a man of the world and my daughter is a young and vulnerable girl. So I ask you to imagine the tale that would be woven if it became known, as is everything we do in the surrounding countryside, that Mr. Brodrick from the Manor is buying clothes for one of Nathaniel Marten's daughters."

Their gaze held for a long moment before Simon, his head nodding in small jerks said, "Yes, you are quite right, sir, quite right.

However, I hope you will have no objections to my calling again? "

There was a further pause before Nathaniel replied, "It will all depend upon the purpose of your visit, sir."

"Well, Mr. Marten, I hope to make that plain within a short while, or at least when I am lawfully free to do so. You understand?"

Nathaniel stared at this very presentable man who was almost putting into words his determination to come courting his daughter, for that's what he would be doing, while still married. And if he won her heart would he even bother to get his freedom? And then would his dear, dear Anna do what her mother had done . God in heaven!

No! That must not happen to his Anna.

He still made no comment as Simon bowed towards him and said, "Good day to you, sir." Nor did he wait to see him ride away. Instead he returned indoors and stood for a moment, his hand on the latch of the door, while he looked up the room to where Anna, wide-eyed, was waiting for him. Her mother was no longer with her and so he went straight to her and catching up her hand, he said, "Do you like that man?"

Her gaze was unflinching as she looked back at him and said, "Yes, Dada, I like him."

"But do you love him?"

Now she looked away and towards the fire, and in a low voice she said,

"A few days ago I would have said yes, but now I am far from sure."

"Why is that?"

She was again looking at him, but she couldn't bring herself to say, because I saw him striking his wife and knocking her to the floor.

The second visitor from the house was given a different welcome.

Timothy came in carrying four beautiful orchids and a very daintily wrapped box. And as he handed her the flowers he said in broad dialect, "Aal grown be me own 'and, ma'am."

"Oh, Mr. Timothy."

"Ah! ah! ah! What did we say about prefixes? You should know all about prefixes; your father here must have knocked them into you." He turned his smiling face towards Nathaniel, saying, "I want the mister knocked off, sir."

"Well, that is easily done ... sir. But let me first say what extremely beautiful blooms. And you grew these?"

"Yes; it's my only talent," he replied.

"I seem to be able to grow orchids. I suppose it's because I like them and I tell them so, being the silly fellow that I am," only to have his attention diverted by the noise of Ben's running into the room, and he called to him, "Ah, there you are, Ben. Guess what's in that box? It's really for your sister, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind you opening it.

And I wouldn't either, because I can eat nougat at any time of the day."

"Tim--' Anna stressed his name now, and she added, " Will you please sit down; and my mother here, I am sure is dying to ask you if you would like a drink. "

He turned to Maria, now, saying quickly, "Well, before you do, Mrs.

Marten, I'm going to say, I would indeed like a drink; you make tea better than anyone else I know."

"Look! Look! Anna." Ben cried out now as he exposed a variety of chocolates and nougat in the top layer of the box.

"Aren't they lovely! May I have one?"

"Of course, my dear, but first of all offer one to Mr. Barrington."

After Timothy had dutifully taken a nougat sweet, Ben pondered over which one he should choose;

then, picking up a gold-paper-wrapped sweet, he said, "I like things in pretty paper; they always give you a nice surprise."

They watched the boy unwrap the chocolate and put it in his mouth, and when he cried, "Oh! it's running," Timothy said, "You've got a liqueur. My! aren't you lucky. I love liqueurs. Now what about you, Anna?" and at this she said, "Yes, I do, too," although she couldn't remember ever having tasted one.

It was then that Anna asked, "Did you come in the gig?" and when he answered, "Yes, I did," she looked towards her mother, saying, "Number two will be outside, Ma. Will you give him a cup of tea?" only to be interrupted by Timothy saying, "Number two isn't outside; I came on my own."

Anna did not immediately take up this unexpected statement, but Nathaniel, turning to the window, remarked, "Well, in that case I'll put the gig and the horse into the shelter of the barn for a while; it's spitting on to rain. Come on you, big fellow! "he tapped his son on the shoulder' come help me."

As Maria, too, left the room to go to the kitchen, Anna thought somewhat ironically, well, they didn't think she needed guarding against this man.

The room to themselves, she looked at him and said, "Was that wise? I mean, to drive the gig yourself?" And he, all merriment now gone from his face and his voice, replied, "I had a slight turn after yesterday's do and seeing you in that state. And, you know, it often happens that I have a free period after experiencing something that I really don't experience at all, as I'm not aware of it.

Strange, isn't it? And isn't it strange, too, that I can talk to you like this about it? You're the only one to whom I speak of it. Do you know that? "

She took hold of his hand and said, "Thank you for your trust, Tim. It it means a lot to me."

He stared into her face for a while before he said, "And you'll never know what your friendship means to me." Then turning his head away, he looked towards the fire as he said, "You've had a visit from Simon already, I suppose?" And she answered "Yes. Yes, he called." And again there was silence until he said, "Are you aware of his intentions?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm aware of them."

His head jerked round towards her and he said one word, "And?"

And Anna repeated the word, "And?"

"Well, what I mean is, are you ... well, there's a long way to go.

He intends to divorce her. But that'll take time, even a matter of years, because he has to have proof; and the only proof he could offer at the moment is his intention of marrying someone else, and exposure might then wreck other lives. You understand that? "

"Yes, Tim, I understand that, and much more. And please, you needn't fear for me." Then very quietly, she said, "I am not going to do what my mother did. For one reason, I am not strong enough. Even should my feelings direct me, I wouldn't be strong enough. We are a very happy family. We always have been, but there has been a shadow over us from our birth. It breeds hate and disdain. We have all, in a way, suffered from it, and still do. I know Oswald does; and, lately, I myself probably do most of all. And I wouldn't ever bring that on anyone else. Now do you understand? "

He had turned towards her again and was holding both her hands as he said, "Yes, my dear, I understand."

There was the sound of voices coming from the kitchen, and so, releasing his hold of her, he said in a clear voice, "I have news for you now. I ... I am leaving the Manor and setting up my own establishment."

"No! Really? Where? Far away?"

"No, not all that far. It's at this end of Fellburn. You've probably seen it on your way in; you can just glimpse the house from the road.

It's Colonel Nesbitt's old place. Briar Close. "

"Oh, Briar Close. Yes. Yes, I've heard it's a nice house."

"Very nice indeed, but very small, at least in comparison with what I'm leaving. So it will only need a small staff. I've always wanted a place of my own. Strange, but I used to visit that house when I was young. My stepfather's cousin lived there then. I would love you to come and see it and perhaps advise me on drapes and such because those that have been left are rather dull; at least, I find them so. The Colonel lived there by himself for some years and the whole place will need decorating. But I am taking on most of the furniture because he had some nice pieces. I ... I'm looking forward to the change. I'll be able to work there in peace. And there's a small conservatory where I can natter to my orchids when I have no-one else to talk to."

"Is this a new idea?" she asked quietly.

"No not really; but one gets tired of being a buffer. I'm ... I'm very fond of my half-sister, you know ... madam, but she understands and agrees with me. In any case, there's going to be changes in the house. Whether Penella goes or stays, there'll be changes. I've always been very fond of Simon, and I like Raymond too, but the brothers never cared much for each other. So there was always buffeting needed.

I am their uncle, but really, I never felt old enough for the position, there being only seven years between Raymond and myself. I could have been their brother. Anyway, now that Raymond is top man in the family, things have already changed. It's amazing what a little power will do.

"

At this point, Maria entered the room with a tray on which were two cups of tea, and when Anna said, "Aren't you having one, Ma?" Maria replied, "Yes; but I'll wait until your father and Ben come back; they've gone out again. Once they get into that barn and with a new horse to fondle they forget about everything else. "

She went out smiling, and Anna, taking a cup of tea and saucer from the tray, handed them to Tim, saying, "Drink this while it's hot."

After sipping on the tea Tim remarked, "It really is always good tea your mother makes." Then putting his cup back on to the tray, he said quietly, "I suppose by now you know that Simon is not the father of the child?"

"Yes; I gathered that some time ago. So may I ask you why she married one brother while she loved the other?"

"Oh, she married the one she loved; that was after she had made him jealous enough. Yet I shouldn't say that because he loved her too. She must have been in a panic when she persuaded Simon to elope with her.

It caused quite a sensation, especially coming, as it did, only eighteen months after the accident had happened to my half-sister and me. I think if she had been mobile at the time she might have managed to prevent the marriage. But you know how she's placed, and only at that time was she beginning to accept what sort of life lay before her.

"

He sighed now as he went on, "It's been a sad union, more so because she's continued to love him the while flaunting her association with Raymond, hoping, I suppose, that jealousy once again would stir him to prove his love for her. But it hasn't worked. And then there's the boy. She doesn't care for him because she sees him as the cause of all her misery. And Raymond, I'm sorry to say, couldn't care less about his parenthood. And until recently, too, Simon, the supposed father, had resented the child. Naturally. There again I've acted as a buffer, but no more. In law, the child is Simon's responsibility and he must see to his future."