where Beatrix and Bertram had found her blissfully sunning herself on a rock. Mrs. Allen had been so pleased at the return of her wayward tortoise that she had invited them in, served them tea and scones, and regaled them with stories about the various Tree Folk who lived thereabouts, in whom she wholeheartedly believed.
“I know you’ve made a great many changes in the old place,” Bertram said. “I want to see them all. From top to bottom, if you please—barns and fields, as well.”
“Come along, then,” she said. “Bring your bag upstairs and I’ll show you where you’ll sleep. Then we’ll begin our tour at the top, with the attics.”
So for the next hour or so, sister and brother went through the house, Bertram saying all the right things in all the right places and in general approving of the changes his sister had made. After that, they went out into the barnyard, where Bertram looked over the Galloway cows, the Berkshire pigs, the farm horses, and various chickens and ducks and geese, pronouncing them all quite fit, well fed, and extraordinarily handsome.
Then, accompanied by the two village cats, Tabitha Twitchit and Crumpet (who had made up their quarrel and were once again the best of friends), they toured the garden, the orchard, and the meadow. When they got to the top of the hill, they paused to survey Beatrix’s Herdwick sheep, which were scattered like so many puffs of white cotton across the green grass all the way to Wilfin Beck.
“So he’s Miss Potter’s brother,” Crumpet said thoughtfully, studying the pair. “I can’t say they’re much alike.”
“Not in looks,” Tabitha agreed, “although there is something similar in their manner. And they do seem to get along.”
“I say, Bea, you have a jolly good place here,” Bertram said, leaning back against a tree, the cats sitting nearby. He took out his pipe and began to fill it from a leather pouch. “Close enough to London to be convenient, remote enough so that Mama and Papa aren’t likely to come.”
Beatrix made a face. “It’s not as remote as all that, I’m afraid. They threaten to come back to Lakefield, as they did before. But happily, they prefer a place with more society. Sawrey boasts only Lady Longford, and Mama can call on her only once a week.” She chuckled. “And poor Papa can find no one at all to listen to him here. Stock Park suits them better.”
“Mrs. Potter complains that Ferry Hill is hard on their horses,” Tabitha confided to Crumpet. “The Potters take their carriage and pair on holiday, you know.” She gave an amused laugh. “They hire an entire railway car.”
“They must have pots of money,” remarked Crumpet, but without envy. Animals always feel they inhabit the best of all worlds. While they may be jealous of their own kindred, they never envy other species—particularly humans, on whom they mostly take pity.
Tabitha nodded. “Yes, but you’d never know it to look at our Miss Potter. She prefers plain to fancy, and if she has a loose shilling in her pocket, she spends it on the farm.”
Bertram scrutinized his sister. “I must say, Bea, this place agrees with you. You’re looking pink and pretty.” He tamped the tobacco into his pipe and found his matches. “You’ve gained weight, too. You were too thin, I think.”
“I love it here,” Beatrix said, from the bottom of her heart. “The village is infinitely interesting, like the world in miniature. And there is such a wonderful largeness and silence in the fells that I can scarcely get enough of it. I only wish that Norman might be here to share it with me.” She had long ago forgiven Bertram for not taking her side in the awful family row over her engagement, but she couldn’t hold back a sigh. “I’m sure he would have loved it every bit as much as I do.”
“Poor Miss Potter.” Tabitha gave a romantic sigh. “So alone. She needs someone to take care of her.”
“Yes, she does,” agreed Crumpet. She gave
“I know you’ve made a great many changes in the old place,” Bertram said. “I want to see them all. From top to bottom, if you please—barns and fields, as well.”
“Come along, then,” she said. “Bring your bag upstairs and I’ll show you where you’ll sleep. Then we’ll begin our tour at the top, with the attics.”
So for the next hour or so, sister and brother went through the house, Bertram saying all the right things in all the right places and in general approving of the changes his sister had made. After that, they went out into the barnyard, where Bertram looked over the Galloway cows, the Berkshire pigs, the farm horses, and various chickens and ducks and geese, pronouncing them all quite fit, well fed, and extraordinarily handsome.
Then, accompanied by the two village cats, Tabitha Twitchit and Crumpet (who had made up their quarrel and were once again the best of friends), they toured the garden, the orchard, and the meadow. When they got to the top of the hill, they paused to survey Beatrix’s Herdwick sheep, which were scattered like so many puffs of white cotton across the green grass all the way to Wilfin Beck.
“So he’s Miss Potter’s brother,” Crumpet said thoughtfully, studying the pair. “I can’t say they’re much alike.”
“Not in looks,” Tabitha agreed, “although there is something similar in their manner. And they do seem to get along.”
“I say, Bea, you have a jolly good place here,” Bertram said, leaning back against a tree, the cats sitting nearby. He took out his pipe and began to fill it from a leather pouch. “Close enough to London to be convenient, remote enough so that Mama and Papa aren’t likely to come.”
Beatrix made a face. “It’s not as remote as all that, I’m afraid. They threaten to come back to Lakefield, as they did before. But happily, they prefer a place with more society. Sawrey boasts only Lady Longford, and Mama can call on her only once a week.” She chuckled. “And poor Papa can find no one at all to listen to him here. Stock Park suits them better.”
“Mrs. Potter complains that Ferry Hill is hard on their horses,” Tabitha confided to Crumpet. “The Potters take their carriage and pair on holiday, you know.” She gave an amused laugh. “They hire an entire railway car.”
“They must have pots of money,” remarked Crumpet, but without envy. Animals always feel they inhabit the best of all worlds. While they may be jealous of their own kindred, they never envy other species—particularly humans, on whom they mostly take pity.
Tabitha nodded. “Yes, but you’d never know it to look at our Miss Potter. She prefers plain to fancy, and if she has a loose shilling in her pocket, she spends it on the farm.”
Bertram scrutinized his sister. “I must say, Bea, this place agrees with you. You’re looking pink and pretty.” He tamped the tobacco into his pipe and found his matches. “You’ve gained weight, too. You were too thin, I think.”
“I love it here,” Beatrix said, from the bottom of her heart. “The village is infinitely interesting, like the world in miniature. And there is such a wonderful largeness and silence in the fells that I can scarcely get enough of it. I only wish that Norman might be here to share it with me.” She had long ago forgiven Bertram for not taking her side in the awful family row over her engagement, but she couldn’t hold back a sigh. “I’m sure he would have loved it every bit as much as I do.”
“Poor Miss Potter.” Tabitha gave a romantic sigh. “So alone. She needs someone to take care of her.”
“Yes, she does,” agreed Crumpet. She gave
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