what they were to do almost every afternoon for the next two weeks and by then Pepe was beginning to swim quite well.
Eleta loved the swimming and enjoyed it almost as much as riding the splendid horses in the stables.
She had difficulty in persuading the Head Groom to let her try out a different horse every day, but, when he saw how well she rode, he let her choose the one she fancied.
She also found that there was a hut near the part of the lake where they swam and she then persuaded the Head Gardener to move it nearer to the water.
They could undress there and dress again instead of going back to the house in wet bathing suits and she asked for fresh towels to be put in the hut every day.
Eleta felt that she had made Pepe’s life far more comfortable at Teringford Court than it had been.
*
On the tenth day of her visit Eleta had only just gone to bed when there was a huge crash in the sky and she realised that rain was pouring through her open window.
She jumped out of bed and ran to shut the window and there were more crashes and flashes outside.
It was then a little voice from the door that led into the boudoir murmured,
“I am – frightened.”
Eleta closed the window and answered,
“So am I, Pepe. Jump into my bed and we will be frightened together.”
Pepe ran across the room and slipped into the bed.
Eleta joined her and, as soon as she came in next to her, Pepe moved towards her, hiding her face against her shoulder.
Eleta’s arms went round her.
“Don’t be frightened, Pepe. It’s only the naughty clouds fighting each other in the sky. They are like little boys and later the sun comes out and it is all forgotten.”
“It frightens me – because it’s so noisy,” the child whispered. “But I am safe here with you.”
Eleta’s arms tightened.
“Absolutely safe. We must not be afraid because soon everything will be beautiful and quiet again.”
“That sounds like a story – ”
Eleta laughed.
“In other words you are asking me to tell you one.”
“Yes, please.”
Pepe moved a little closer and Eleta soothed her,
“You know that you ought to go to sleep. There is so much to do tomorrow, so I will just tell you a very short story about the angels looking after us.”
“I’d like that.”
“I am sure,” Eleta began, “that your angel is just like you only she would not have such a long name.”
“Then what is my angel called?” the child asked.
“She is called ‘Pepe’, which your father called you when you were small and what I have been calling you.”
“If my angel has a pretty name which is also mine, what is yours called?”
Eleta hesitated for a moment and then she replied,
“My real name is of course secret. If I tell you, you must be very careful to call me by it only when no one is listening, in case they talk and my stepfather finds me.”
“I will be very very careful,” she promised.
“Then it is ‘Eleta’.”
“Oh, that’s a pretty name. So much prettier than saying ‘Miss Lawson’.”
“That is a pretend name, but you must remember to use it in front of the servants and anyone else in the house.”
She thought it extraordinary that apparently so few people called at Teringford Court and they had not heard anything from the Marquis since she had arrived here.
“I will be very careful that no one shall take you away from me,” Pepe was saying.
“You know I want to stay with you.”
“Do you really and truly want to, Eleta?”
“I love being here,” Eleta replied, “and I love being with you. In fact, Pepe, I love you very much.”
Pepe moved a little closer.
“And I love you too,” she sighed. “I do love you, Eleta, and you must never, never leave me.”
“I will try not to and I am very grateful to you for being so kind to me.”
“I love you, I love you,” Pepe repeated.
Eleta kissed her and she stayed in her arms until she fell asleep.
*
The next morning, when they went downstairs to breakfast, the
Eleta loved the swimming and enjoyed it almost as much as riding the splendid horses in the stables.
She had difficulty in persuading the Head Groom to let her try out a different horse every day, but, when he saw how well she rode, he let her choose the one she fancied.
She also found that there was a hut near the part of the lake where they swam and she then persuaded the Head Gardener to move it nearer to the water.
They could undress there and dress again instead of going back to the house in wet bathing suits and she asked for fresh towels to be put in the hut every day.
Eleta felt that she had made Pepe’s life far more comfortable at Teringford Court than it had been.
*
On the tenth day of her visit Eleta had only just gone to bed when there was a huge crash in the sky and she realised that rain was pouring through her open window.
She jumped out of bed and ran to shut the window and there were more crashes and flashes outside.
It was then a little voice from the door that led into the boudoir murmured,
“I am – frightened.”
Eleta closed the window and answered,
“So am I, Pepe. Jump into my bed and we will be frightened together.”
Pepe ran across the room and slipped into the bed.
Eleta joined her and, as soon as she came in next to her, Pepe moved towards her, hiding her face against her shoulder.
Eleta’s arms went round her.
“Don’t be frightened, Pepe. It’s only the naughty clouds fighting each other in the sky. They are like little boys and later the sun comes out and it is all forgotten.”
“It frightens me – because it’s so noisy,” the child whispered. “But I am safe here with you.”
Eleta’s arms tightened.
“Absolutely safe. We must not be afraid because soon everything will be beautiful and quiet again.”
“That sounds like a story – ”
Eleta laughed.
“In other words you are asking me to tell you one.”
“Yes, please.”
Pepe moved a little closer and Eleta soothed her,
“You know that you ought to go to sleep. There is so much to do tomorrow, so I will just tell you a very short story about the angels looking after us.”
“I’d like that.”
“I am sure,” Eleta began, “that your angel is just like you only she would not have such a long name.”
“Then what is my angel called?” the child asked.
“She is called ‘Pepe’, which your father called you when you were small and what I have been calling you.”
“If my angel has a pretty name which is also mine, what is yours called?”
Eleta hesitated for a moment and then she replied,
“My real name is of course secret. If I tell you, you must be very careful to call me by it only when no one is listening, in case they talk and my stepfather finds me.”
“I will be very very careful,” she promised.
“Then it is ‘Eleta’.”
“Oh, that’s a pretty name. So much prettier than saying ‘Miss Lawson’.”
“That is a pretend name, but you must remember to use it in front of the servants and anyone else in the house.”
She thought it extraordinary that apparently so few people called at Teringford Court and they had not heard anything from the Marquis since she had arrived here.
“I will be very careful that no one shall take you away from me,” Pepe was saying.
“You know I want to stay with you.”
“Do you really and truly want to, Eleta?”
“I love being here,” Eleta replied, “and I love being with you. In fact, Pepe, I love you very much.”
Pepe moved a little closer.
“And I love you too,” she sighed. “I do love you, Eleta, and you must never, never leave me.”
“I will try not to and I am very grateful to you for being so kind to me.”
“I love you, I love you,” Pepe repeated.
Eleta kissed her and she stayed in her arms until she fell asleep.
*
The next morning, when they went downstairs to breakfast, the
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