Sun And Candlelight Part 22

"Alethea, here are Sarel and Jacomina.

' He looked down at the two children.

"My dears, this is Alethea Thomas, who is going to marry me within a few weeks.

' They offered hands and said "How do you do' and smiled at her, two pairs of blue eyes staring up at

her, fall of hate.

She hadn't expected that, but she knew enough about children to know that they were reacting in a perfectly normal way; she would have to be patient, very patient, and give them lots of time.

She said now, in her pleasant, soft voice: "How do you do,

Sarel-Jacomina, I'm very glad to meet you.

I hope that when we have got to know each other, we shall be good friends.

' They didn't answer, and Sarre, who had turned away to say something to his brother but had obviously been listening, observed: "Oh, I'm sure of that.

Now you had both better go up to Nanny and tidy yourselves for lunch.

' "Yes, Papa, and may we take Alethea with us to meet Nanny?

' Sarre hesitated.

"There's not much time-Alethea wants a drink with us.

Nanny might keep her.

' "We won't let her.

Papa.

Just two minutes, please.

' He smiled down at them.

"Well, what does Alethea say?

' "T'd like to meet Nanny," said Alethea promptly, and wondered what

was in store for her.

She was soon to know.

They were on their way upstairs when Sarel asked: "Do you speak our

language, Alethea?

' She glanced at him.

He was a good-looking little boy with his father's fine features and

blue eyes.

His hair was the colour of lint and he had the endearing boniness of

all small boys.

He returned her look with a limpid one of his own and then smiled when she said: "Not one word.

I hope you'll both help me to learn it, Sarel.

' "You and Nanny won't be able to understand each other," observed Jacomina with satisfaction.

She was like her father too, a fact which for some reason was a relief

to Alethea; she supposed she didn't want to be reminded of his first

wife.

"Then we'll just have to smile at each other, won't we?" said Alethea sensibly.

They had walked the length of the gallery and started up a second

smaller staircase to the floor above.

There was another gallery here with rooms leading from it and Sarel opened one of the doors and invited her inside.

As she went past him Alethea paused.

"Tell me, Sarel," she asked, 'where did you both learn to speak such good English?

' "Papa and Mrs McCrea and Al--they all speak English to us.

Here's Nanny.

' The room was obviously the children's.

It was large, furnished comfortably with small chairs, a large round

table, and had cupboards built into its walls.

There was a rocking horse by the window and a superb dolls' house and

the walls were hung with maps, a variety of Beatrix Potter prints and over the closed stove, a very large cuckoo clock.

It was a cosy room and Alethea smiled as she gazed round her.

But the middle aged woman standing by the stove wasn't smiling, she was

staring hard, her rather grim face set sternly.

She was tall and angular, her hair so fair that the grey with which it was sprinkled could hardly be seen. She was dressed soberly in a plain brown dress, and she smoothed the skirt now, waiting for Alethea to say something.

The children stood silently and she realised that they had no intention of speaking.

She went across the room and held out a hand.

"I'm Alethea Thomas," she said.

"How do you do.

Nanny?

' Her hand was taken but the stern features didn't relax.

Nanny said something Alethea couldn't understand and spoke to the

children, who chorused in answer and disappeared through a door at the

other end of the room.

Alethea, left alone with Nanny, smiled at her again and then wandered off round the room, examining its contents.

It appeared to house every kind of toy and game that a child could wish

for; she had never seen such a splendid collection in all her life. She was peering at the dolls' house when the children returned, and ignoring their quick, enquiring look, she said calmly: "Oh, hullo, there you are.