Naturally the life was not so golden-hued in these after days as it had seemed that first day.
She found the children, if not exactly spoilt, certainly not trained as they should have been trained.
With the elder one, indeed, a good many difficulties threatened, but Caroline was resolved to find nothing too hard or difficult, and her long experience of school discipline came into splendid prominence now.
Her starting task was to try and put a little organization into the life of the nursery.
She did not mind what she did herself to bring about some method to regulate the hours, but she quickly let the servants know that they must meet her halfway.
She found it necessary to change any number of accepted habits. When she learned how irregular had been the nursery arrangements, she marvelled that her little charges were so healthy or so tractable.
Dennis gave her great assistance.
"You keep things down, my dear. Don't you be afraid of having your own way. The mistress won't interfere. She trusts every one. That's why she gets done so often."
Another time Dennis introduces the question of expense.
"The way money is just thrown away in this house! ... There's not a one, barrin' myself, to give a thought to the one as has to pay. Why, many's the time I've seen nurse pitch away a bottle of special milk what couldn't be used; and d'ye think that stopped her in the orderin'? Not it!"