Then She Fled Me by Sara Seale

with a quizzical expression.
    “ No wonder you ’ re so thin, ” he remarked. “ All this running up and down stairs. ”
    “ I have long legs, ” she informed him seriously, and opened the nursery door for him.

 
    CHAPTER SIX
    Despite Kathy ’ s charm, Miss Dearlove finally decided to leave Dun Rury and spend the remainder of her visit with the Miss Kellys ’ . She paid Adrian a visit before she left, just, as she said, to say goodbye.
    “ You ’ ve no doubt heard that I ’ m leaving Mr. Flint. Dear Kathy begged me to stay, but I couldn ’ t think of it, even for her sake. Between you and me, Mr. Flint, I think they are all a little touched .”
    “ Oh, do you think so? ”
    “ But definitely. Miss Emma, delightful in her way , but, well—buying all those electric things at sales for a house that has no electricity—that can ’ t bespeak the normal mind, can it? ”
    “ It wouldn ’ t sound like it. ”
    “ And the little boy—such a very odd child—not rude or rough, you know—not normal. And Sarah—well, I suppose one might make excuses for her—no education, you know—but she should not be given the authority she has. So bad for a girl of that age to do just as she pleases, don ’ t you think? Kathy, sweet creature, is the only normal one among them. ”
    He raised his eyebrows politely.
    “ Do you think so, Miss Dearlove? I should have said it was just the opposite. The girl lives in a dream-world of her own. ”
    “ Only the world of poetry and music. You should understand that, Mr. Flint. Will you be stopping on here, because if you are, there are one or two tiny hints I could give you which I ’ m s u re you ’ d find helpful. ”
    “ My plans are still undecided, ” he said briefly. “ Now, I think I hear one of them shouting for you, so I ’ ll say goodbye. ”
    “ Oh—yes—perhaps I should be going. Well, goodbye, Mr. Flint. It ’ s been such a pleasure meeting so eminent a man as yourself. I shall certainly attend your next recital in London. Streatham is so handy for the great metropolis, you know. I will send you one of my little books when I get home— signed, of course—just a little souvenir .”
    “ I never, ” said Adrian wearily, “ read children ’ s, books. Goodbye, Miss Dearlove. ”
    She went then, bridling a little. Disagreeable to the last! Insufferable man!
    Adrian could hear the sounds of departure under his open window. “ A man ’ s voice, cheerful and careless: “ What did I tell you, Miss Sarah! Thim foreigners will never stay and they destroyed by that divil of a road. Will the lady be havin ’ much luggage? ”
    “ Those three and parcels. Casey, would you be taking one of my greyhound pups as a gift? ”
    “ Ah, I ’ ve dogs enough. What ’ s wrong with the pup that you wouldn ’ t be sel li n ’ him? ”
    “ He has a touch of rickets, but it ’ s nothing. His two legs are bowed a bit, but you ’ ll never get finer breeding. ”
    “ Was that the litter Mr. Blake was after destroying a while back? Och, have sense, Miss Sarah. An unsound greyhound is no good to man or beast. Drown the lot of them ... Good mo rn in ’ , ma ’ am, so you ’ re going to the Miss Kellys ’ ? Sure, you ’ ll be better off there, and you with your foreign ideas an ’ all. They tell me they have little tables there, now, and paper napkins to take the crumbs from your lips. Very genteel, the Miss Kellys. Will we be starting now, ma ’ am? ”
    Aunt Em ’ s voice murmuring farewells, Kathy ’ s and Miss Dearlove ’ s mingled in final regrets, and Sarah ’ s clear tones asking for a lift as far as the bridge.
    “ I have a taste for a day on the moors, ” she said. “ Mary will help Nolan milk, Aunt Em, and Kathy can take up the Flinty One ’ s tray. ”
    Adrian ’ s mouth twitched. He had sometimes wondered if they realized how clearly their voices could be heard from the drive and the terrace. He glanced out of the window and watched the car