Mar tina wants you to go to Holland with her and the children for a week or two more.

' He gave his sister a tolerant smile.

"But it seems she hadn't got around to saying anything about it to you.

She has a way of leaving everything to arrange itself at the last minute, knowing that someone or other will make sure that it does.

' Mevrouw Thor becke laughed apologetically.

"Alexander is right, Beth.

That is exactly what I do, and I am ashamed that I haven't asked you sooner, but most truly I would wish you to come with us--just for a little while.

I do not know how I shall manage without you--in another week or so I shall be quite able to cope with the children, even without a nanny--besides, my husband will be home very shortly.

' A charming smile lit her face.

"Please, Beth!

' Beth made no attempt to hide her delight; indeed, it would not have entered her head to do so, although she felt bound to point out one or two obstacles to the plan.

"But they're expecting me back," she pointed out, 'and there's William.

' The profess or laid down his knife and fork.

"There will be no objection to you being loaned to Mar tina for another few weeks," he stated positively, 'and as for William, this arrangement he now has--could it not be continued for a little longer?

Look, I'll tell you what I'll do; run you back to St Elmer's when I go on Sunday; you can spend a couple of days at your flat and I'll pick you up on our way over to Holland.

' It was all so easy it would have been churlish to refuse, although Beth suspected that the ease had been well planned beforehand.

It must have given him a good deal of trouble, although less trouble perhaps than finding someone else to help Mevrouw Thor becke until she was on her feet once more.

"Well," she said at last, 'if n.o.body minds me going and you really want me, I'd like to come very much--until you can find someone else.

' The profess or resumed his dinner with the air of a man who had pulled off a trickey deal to his own advantage, and Mevrouw Thor becke, beaming with satisfaction, plunged at once into details of their impending journey.

Several times during the evening Beth detected a look of almost smug satisfaction upon the profess or's handsome face, which somehow disturbed her; had she been too easy to persuade?

she wondered.

Very likely he was in the habit of using his wealth and influence--and his undoubted charm--in getting what he wished for; she had been far too quick to jump at his offer.

But when they parted at bedtime, and he thanked her in his kind way, she forgot her disquiet.

He was a dear, she reflected as she went upstairs, and always so calm and good-natured.

She wondered what he would be like if ever he lost his temper, for she felt sure that beneath that calm he was capable of a fine rage.

She dismissed the thought, for she was unlikely to witness such an occasion, and with rather more difficulty dismissed her thoughts of the profess or too.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

beth was awakened the next morning by a gentle tapping on her door.

It was far too soon to get up, and supposing it to be one of the children she called: "Come in," and started from her bed, only to jump back in again at the profess or's: "T'll do no such thing--think of my reputation.

I'm taking Prince out, would you like to keep me company on Kitty?

' She was already out of bed again.

"Give me ten minutes," she begged him, and fell to tearing into her clothes.

He was standing by the open door when she got downstairs, looking out into the early morning.

He had his back to her so that she had the time to notice his well cut jodhpurs, highly polished riding boots and polo-necked sweater; they made her cast a surrept.i.tious glance at her own workaday person and reminded her that she had bothered with neither make-up nor a proper hair-do; indeed, her hair, though brushed, hung in a plait down her back, fastened haphazardly with an elastic band.

But the profess or didn't appear to notice these shortcomings, only greeted her placidly, observed that they should have a splendid ride 145 on such a fine morning, and led the way to the stables.

As indeed they did; there was very little traffic on the roads, only the postman and the milkman and the awkward, slow-moving farm vehicles.

They took to the bridle path presently, which would bring them round to the other side of the village, not hurrying, but ambling along side by side when there was room, talking idly about nothing in particular.

Presently the profess or asked: "There was no opportunity to ask you yesterday evening-how are Sugar and Beauty?

' "In splendid shape--you have no idea how different they look already, and the children are splendid with them--Dirk has been on Beauty and goes very well.

Marineka was a little timid at first, but she's over that now.

Hubert and Alberdina only ride Sugar, of course; I think he enjoys it as much as they do.

' "That's splendid.

I found your stepbrother a very unpleasant man, if you will forgive me for saying so.

' "He is.

It was lovely to watch you flatten him.

' "My dear girl, was it so obvious?

' He turned to grin at her.

"I thought I was being very civil.

' "Oh, you were, but you have a very arrogant manner sometimes.

' "Not with you, I hope?

' She considered his question.

"No--you have always been very kind.

' "Lord, what a quenching remark!

Besides, I can be very unpleasant too--I have a vile temper.

' She looked at him with interest.

"I was wondering that.

but you control it, don't you?

I think you're very nice," she told him simply.

He had gone ahead of her, for the path was narrow and she had only a brief glimpse of his face as he glanced over his shoulder.

"Thank you, little Partridge," was all he said.

She put the children through their paces after breakfast with their mother and uncle as an audience, who, when necessary, gave a helping hand.

And they did very well, although Dirk was unusually quiet, and when Beth spoke to him, although he answered her politely enough, she was aware of enmity behind the politeness.

She was at a loss to know why; she was almost sure that the profess or hadn't punished him for his escapade at the Cheddar Gorge and she had never mentioned it.

But children could be moody, she consoled herself, probably everything would be all right again in a very short time.

Only it wasn't; Sat.u.r.day pa.s.sed and Sunday came with all of them going to church and then, after lunch, having one more ride, and still Dirk maintained his strange behaviour towards her, and when she wished them all good-bye at bedtime with the promise that they would all meet again in London in two days' time, he accepted the news with such a lack of enthusiasm that she felt quite dashed.

It was fortunate that the other three were so pleased at the idea other coming with them to Holland that she couldn't help but cheer up, telling herself that everything would be fine again once Dirk had come out of the sulks.

The profess or drove her back to London after dinner, wasting no time on the journey because, as he pointed out, he had a heavy list in the morning and in any case, it was necessary to get her to the flat at a reasonable hour.

"There's no need for you to go to St Elmer's," he told her.

"T've arranged everything, I believe.

I finish tomorrow afternoon and shall return to Caundle Bubb during the evening.

We will pick you up on Tuesday afternoon-half past one at your flat.

You will be ready?

' How businesslike he was!

"Oh, yes, thank you," she a.s.sured him.

"Which way shall we go?

' "Hovercraft from Dover to Ca lais and drive up into Holland from there.

Three hours' journey roughly--we should be in Willemstad in good time to get the children to their beds.

' He glanced at her briefly.

"It's good of you to come, Elizabeth.

I've heard from my broth erin-law; he hopes to return earlier than he had expected and I shall be able to relinquish Mar tina and the brats to his care once more.

She's a good mother but not very practical-I daresay you've noticed.

' "Yes, but being a good mother is much more important than being practical; besides, she doesn't have to be, does she?

It doesn't really matter.

' He finished for her: "Because there's always someone to see to things for her.

You're quite right, of course.

' They talked nothings after that, until he drew up outside the flat, and when Beth would have thanked him and got out, he told her to stay where she was, and got out himself and saw to her luggage and only then opened her door.

They went up the stairs together, and after the s.p.a.cious beauty of Caundle Bubb, it seemed like prison.

As he put the key in the lock, she wondered what sort of mess the flat would be in with only William and Dobson to look after it.

It was clean enough, she saw that at a glance, but it looked bleak and unlived-in.

There were, naturally, no flowers, and the crockery, though washed, had been piled on the table ready for the next meal.

She turned away from this depressing picture and asked diffidently: "Would you like a cup of coffee?