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little girls; to the right, two jutting bay windows of what she afterwards found were Mr. Holmes’s bedroom and the smoking-room, respectively, shut her off from the front of the house where Mrs. Holmes and her companion had been sitting when Rodney Marsh had driven the buggy up the drive.

What sort of a woman was Mrs. Holmes, Ann wondered. Quick and as a rule fairly accurate in her judgments, Ann found herself more than a little baffled here. In her short life Ann had met many types, but never any one of this description. Fascinating, yes—but was she honest? Was she kind? She had received the new governess quite amiably, and now brought in the tea-tray herself and stayed for a few moments chatting in the bored and detached manner which seemed an expression of her personality. But was it? Was she not rather very alert and very subtle? When she was left alone with her tea-tray beside her on the veranda, Ann’s thoughts were centered on her new employer. Should they get on together? Ann hoped so, and yet some instinct warned her to go warily. She had learned that as a rule she would be expected to give the litle girls—Biddy, aged eight, and Jo, aged six—their tea in the dining-room about 5.30. Tonight, as they had ridden out with their father to the back of the station, they might be home late, and therefore would have dinner with their elders. Dinner was at 6.15. Yes, earlier than one had it “at Home” (Ann already knew that “Home” with a big “H” signified England), but Mrs. Pratt and Emily liked to get back as soon as possible to the cottage. That was all.

Ann finished her tea and then began unpacking.