' Sarre bent to kiss her cheek.

"I've neglected you shamefully--we'll go to see my solicitor next week

and there are several aunts and uncles.

' He smiled down at her.

"Goodnight, Alethea.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

life was suddenly more fun, Alethea discovered during

the next week. Sarre came home each day to lunch, and once or twice he came home for tea as well, and on two evenings, after dinner, he had taken her out in the Bristol, into the country to the north of the city where it was mostly farmland and not much traffic, and i handed the car over to her, sitting beside her without saying a word while she got over her initial nervousness and then, once she had discovered that the Bristol was as easy to drive as her Colt, still saying nothing when she went much too fast and narrowly missed sending them into a ca.n.a.l.

At the last minute he had laid a hand over hers and turned the wheel and remarked on a laugh: "You're a demon driver, aren't you?

Who taught you?

' "The village blacksmith, only he doesn't shoe many horses any more.

' "You ride?

' "T used to--when I was a child before my mother and father died.

And on and off since, if there was a horse which needed exercising.

' "I've got a cottage in the Veluwe.

We go there sometimes in the autumn--with the children, of course; they ride quite well.

We might go for a week this year.

' Alethea said in a surprised voice: "Oh, have you got another house as well as the .

one in Groningen?

' He said almost apologetically: "It's really quite small, and I have

to have somewhere where I can keep the horses and the children's

ponies.

' Cottages and horses and ponies; he took them so very much for granted, but each one was a fresh surprise to her.

She had more surprises when they visited the solicitor, too--a

dry-as-dust old man with a bald head and pale blue eyes which were

still shrewd.

He received them in an office on the top floor of an old house in the heart of Groningen and offered them a gla.s.s of sherry while he and Sarre discussed money.

Presently Sarre turned to her, switching to English.

"The little matter of your allowance, my dear.

' He mentioned a sum which made her dizzy, and then went on to explain

about wills and bequests and funds.

"And I thought that next time we go over to England we might look around for a house--we'll put it in your name, of course.

' "But why should I want a house?

' she asked.

"It will all come under the marriage settlements," he told her

soothingly.

"But the children.

' He gave her a gentle smile.

"They're already provided for." She said in a whisper: "You're very

rich, aren't you?" Just as though she didn't already know.

He nodded.

"T did tell you, my dear.

' "Just you--or all your family?

' "I'm afraid all the family, my dear.

' He took her hand absentmindedly in his.

"You don't need to worry about it, Alethea.

' His hand felt cool and firm and she wanted to leave hers there for

ever.

Suddenly she knew that she would never have to worry about anything again because Sarre would do all the worrying for her; he would look after her too.

A pleasant feeling crept over her and she wasn't sure what it was, but she had no chance to find out because Mijnheer Smidt began reading something out loud and presently she had to sign some papers, and when they got home the children demanded their father's attention.

They needed help with their homework, they declared, and he went away with them, up to the playroom.

Alethea could hear their voices and laughter echoing through the house while she sat in the little sitting room, looking through the textbooks she had been given by the nice little old lady whom Sarre had found to teach her Dutch.

It would be lovely, thought Alethea wistfully, if she could have been there too, laughing and joining in the family jokes.

The children still treated her as though she were an unwelcome guest, but only when their father wasn't there, and once or twice she had caught them looking at her in a puzzled way.

She had ignored that, though, trying to behave as she imagined any new stepmother would behave, never taking anything for granted, taking care not to intrude into their lives unless she was invited.

Which she seldom was.

It was only a few days later when Sarre told her that he was going to Hamburg in two days' time and how did she feel about going with him.

She was brushing Rough, sitting on the lawn at the back of the house and sat back on her heels to answer him.

"Oh, Sarre, I'd love to.

Shall you be there long?

' "Three or four days.

I shall be at the hospital for most of the time, but we should have the evenings together.

I'll drive up, it will be a good opportunity to try out the Bristol.

' "What sort of clothes shall I need?

"Well, we may go out one evening it's not a very big hotel, but I

expect you'll want a pretty dress for dinner.

' Alethea thanked him, thinking privately that it had been a waste of time asking him, men never noticed.

"Have you got that grey thing with the patterns?

' "Grey crepe with an amber and green pattern.

Yes.

Why?