should be enough to stop Nelly overstepping the mark again.
Sarah left her room and made her way along the passage to the housekeeper's room. She was just passing the turning to the picture gallery, which was situated in the west wing of the house, when she heard the sound of Peter's voice. She stopped, surprised: Peter should surely be in bed.
But no. She had not stayed out by the lake as long as usual tonight, which was why Nelly had not expected to be discovered, and there were still ten minutes or so before the nurse would send Peter to bed.
She was about to go on but she was surprised to hear that Peter was talking to Lord Randall, and a minute later she realised that he was excitedly telling Lord Randall about a small concert the children were preparing for the house party, as a treat for the guests.
She smiled. It had been William's idea to arrange a concert, and one she had been glad to encourage. The children had set to with a will, Lucy learning a pretty little song called The Waterfall, and the two boys learning passages from Milton and Shakespeare. Sarah had enjoyed helping them to learn the music and poetry with which to entertain their father's guests.
'... been practising a speech for the concert,' Peter was saying enthusiastically.
A month ago, Peter would not have dared speak to Lord Randall so confidently and openly, and Sarah felt a real sense of satisfaction at the difference the last few weeks had made.
But her sense of satisfaction turned to surprise a minute later as she heard Lord Randall's reply. That's impossible, Peter. The house party isn't for children. It's for adult guests.'
'But -' Peter began to protest. His tone was bewildered.
Sarah, too, felt bewildered as she overheard what was being said.
'No arguments,' said Lord Randall.
Impossible man! thought Sarah, angry at Lord Randall's high-handed attitude and full of sympathy for the disappointment that dripped from Peter's every word. She had thought that Lord Randall's attitude to the children had really improved, but, if the present conversation was anything to go by, it hadn't changed a bit.
I've been practising for weeks sir,' protested Peter. 'And so has -'
'Peter,' said Lord Randall firmly. 1 said "no." Now go to your room. It is high time you were in bed.'
Sarah was incensed. She had worked hard over the last few weeks to give the children some sort of confidence, and she was not going to have that work ruined by Lord Randall in a single night.
As she turned the corner she was just in time to see Peter walking out of the door of the gallery at the far end. His shoulders were drooping and he was clearly much upset.
There was no need to speak to Peter like that,' she said.
'Miss Davenport!' Lord Randall turned towards her with a start. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he had not heard her enter the long picture gallery.
*You could have let him down gently,' she said accusingly. There was no need for you to be so hard. Peter has spent weeks rehearsing a speech from A Midsummer Night's Dream,' went on Sarah. 'He has worked and worked at the difficult language and he has done it because he wants to make you proud of him. And William and Lucy want to make you proud of them, too. They have been rehearsing a selection of music and poetry so that they can put on an entertainment for your guests.'
They weren't asked to put on an entertainment,' said Lord Randall irritably.
'And what has that to do with it?' Sarah challenged him. 'Are they never to show any initiative? Are they never to think of anything for themselves? Are they never to try and make you proud of them?'
He sighed.
You're right,' he acknowledged. 'I was harsh with Peter. I didn't mean to be, but I have a lot on my mind at the moment. One of the tenant farmers has just come to me with news of poachers and there has been trouble with the irrigation system for the low-lying fields.' And I am no nearer
to discovering the identity of the radicals, he
Sarah left her room and made her way along the passage to the housekeeper's room. She was just passing the turning to the picture gallery, which was situated in the west wing of the house, when she heard the sound of Peter's voice. She stopped, surprised: Peter should surely be in bed.
But no. She had not stayed out by the lake as long as usual tonight, which was why Nelly had not expected to be discovered, and there were still ten minutes or so before the nurse would send Peter to bed.
She was about to go on but she was surprised to hear that Peter was talking to Lord Randall, and a minute later she realised that he was excitedly telling Lord Randall about a small concert the children were preparing for the house party, as a treat for the guests.
She smiled. It had been William's idea to arrange a concert, and one she had been glad to encourage. The children had set to with a will, Lucy learning a pretty little song called The Waterfall, and the two boys learning passages from Milton and Shakespeare. Sarah had enjoyed helping them to learn the music and poetry with which to entertain their father's guests.
'... been practising a speech for the concert,' Peter was saying enthusiastically.
A month ago, Peter would not have dared speak to Lord Randall so confidently and openly, and Sarah felt a real sense of satisfaction at the difference the last few weeks had made.
But her sense of satisfaction turned to surprise a minute later as she heard Lord Randall's reply. That's impossible, Peter. The house party isn't for children. It's for adult guests.'
'But -' Peter began to protest. His tone was bewildered.
Sarah, too, felt bewildered as she overheard what was being said.
'No arguments,' said Lord Randall.
Impossible man! thought Sarah, angry at Lord Randall's high-handed attitude and full of sympathy for the disappointment that dripped from Peter's every word. She had thought that Lord Randall's attitude to the children had really improved, but, if the present conversation was anything to go by, it hadn't changed a bit.
I've been practising for weeks sir,' protested Peter. 'And so has -'
'Peter,' said Lord Randall firmly. 1 said "no." Now go to your room. It is high time you were in bed.'
Sarah was incensed. She had worked hard over the last few weeks to give the children some sort of confidence, and she was not going to have that work ruined by Lord Randall in a single night.
As she turned the corner she was just in time to see Peter walking out of the door of the gallery at the far end. His shoulders were drooping and he was clearly much upset.
There was no need to speak to Peter like that,' she said.
'Miss Davenport!' Lord Randall turned towards her with a start. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he had not heard her enter the long picture gallery.
*You could have let him down gently,' she said accusingly. There was no need for you to be so hard. Peter has spent weeks rehearsing a speech from A Midsummer Night's Dream,' went on Sarah. 'He has worked and worked at the difficult language and he has done it because he wants to make you proud of him. And William and Lucy want to make you proud of them, too. They have been rehearsing a selection of music and poetry so that they can put on an entertainment for your guests.'
They weren't asked to put on an entertainment,' said Lord Randall irritably.
'And what has that to do with it?' Sarah challenged him. 'Are they never to show any initiative? Are they never to think of anything for themselves? Are they never to try and make you proud of them?'
He sighed.
You're right,' he acknowledged. 'I was harsh with Peter. I didn't mean to be, but I have a lot on my mind at the moment. One of the tenant farmers has just come to me with news of poachers and there has been trouble with the irrigation system for the low-lying fields.' And I am no nearer
to discovering the identity of the radicals, he
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