The adulteress

It was a great comfort to me to see the joy she brought him. But for what I did there could be no Lottie to brighten his days. Good out of evil. Indeed it was so.

I listened to her chatter. "This is wild clematis, papa. Miss Carter makes me learn the names. Miss Carter knows everything, but alas your daughter is an ignoramus, dear papa. Did you know that?"

He took her hand and his eyes filled with tears. He was very emotional nowadays. "My daughter is the best and dearest girl in the world," he said.

She regarded him with her head on one side. "As Miss Carter would say, it depends on what you mean by best. Best at jumping, yes ... Best at climbing, yes. Best at sums ... no, no, no! And rather wicked sometimes, I fear, and that's not best."

Her chatter amused him and she knew it. She might be rebellious at times, wayward often, but she had a good, kind and loving heart.

Together we watched the men bring in the yule log. She and I pored over the lists of food we should need for our guests. There would be games. Lottie's eyes sparkled at the prospect. We needed a lot of people. The Forsters would come, and what about Evalina Mather?

I said we would have open house at Christmas.

"We'll have dancing and fiddlers. Do you think the fiddlers will come on Christmas night, mama?"

"We'll promise them punch and Christmas cakes as well as money. In fact we'll make it irresistible for them."

She clapped her hands. She was so excited. Suddenly she clapped her hands to her mouth.

"What is it?" I said.

"I should love to see Miss Carter dance," she said.

"She might do so very well. People are full of surprises."

"That would be the most unlikely Christmas surprise."

"Wait and see," I said, and we went on with our lists.

I was happy to see my mother again. She hugged me and said we had been separated far too long. I saw the compassion and dismay in her eyes when they rested on Jean-Louis and I realized how he must have changed since we left Clavering.

And there was Sabrina looking as beautiful as ever, and with her Dickon.

He was a man now... . He must be nineteen. He stood smiling at me with that rather enigmatic look which was half affectionate, half teasing.

"Well, it is good to see you, Zipporah," he cried. "And this is Lottie. By Gad, you've grown." He had picked her up and held her above his head looking up at her.

She was laughing. "Put me down," she commanded.

"Not until you give me a kiss."

"Oh, so it's blackmail is it? All right then." She gave him a peck on the forehead.

"Not good enough," he said. "I don't call that a nice cousinly kiss."

"Put me down. Put me down!" shrieked Lottie.

I did not like to see her there held up in his arms and I was irritated by the indulgent manner in which his mother and mine were regarding him.

As I started to lead them into the house I saw Lottie kissing him again.

"Now," she said when she was on the ground, "you must meet Miss Carter."

"Always delighted to meet the ladies," said Dickon.

"Miss Carter is my governess."

"That does not preclude her from being a lady."

"Oh, she's that all right," said Lottie. "In fact, she's always so anxious that I shan't forget that I'm one she's forever reminding me. She's very good at her lessons."

"I thought it was for you to be good at yours."

"What I mean is she's a good teacher."

"With the naughtiest little pupil in the world, I don't doubt."

I was trying not to listen to their banter as I asked my mother about affairs at Clavering.

I took them to their rooms and heard from both my mother and Sabrina how absolutely wonderful everything was on the estate since Dickon had taken over.

"I was sorry he didn't continue with his education," said Sabrina. "But he would have his own way."

"I think he'd always have that," I commented wryly.

My mother said: "He thinks a lot of you, Zipporah. He'll be in his element talking to Jean-Louis and your manager."

"Our manager is not here at the moment. He is with his wife. It is a good thing that he is not here."

"A good thing!" said my mother. "I thought that Jean-Louis looks so frail."

"Our manager, mother, is James Fenton. I don't think either he or his wife would want to meet Dickon."

My mother looked embarrassed and Sabrina said: "Oh, that. That all happened a long time ago."

I said: "And since it was due to Dickon it must become a sort of amusing joke."

My mother was shocked. "I never thought it was a joke. But it is all over now. These things are natural happenings."

I could see it was no use expecting them to understand. Dickon was perfect in their eyes and it was no use upsetting everything right at the start of the Christmas holiday.

Madeleine Carter was introduced to the visitors and my mother heartily approved of her. "She seems a good sensible young woman," she said.

Sabrina added: "Just the sort to keep Lottie in check."

Dickon irreverently called her the Holy Virgin Madeleine, and told Lottie that he couldn't quite detect the halo but he wondered whether her young eyes had seen it.