Miss Burton laughed merrily. "What! You do not think I look old enough to teach you," she said; "but I am older perhaps than you think, and you will soon find out how cross and strict I can be when I begin to give you lessons."
Beryl did not look dismayed as she echoed Miss Burton's laugh. She began to think that her conclusions respecting governesses were not well-founded. Miss Burton was certainly by no means disagreeable-looking, nor did she in the least resemble Aunt Cecilia. Both the children were delighted to find the governess so utterly different from what they had expected.
Miss Hollys now came forward to receive the stranger. She was as surprised as Beryl at the pretty, girlish appearance of the governess. She had some misgivings as she looked at Miss Burton.
"I fear you are rather young for the work before you," she said to her, as she took the young lady upstairs, having ordered the children to stay below; "for you will not find your pupils easy to manage. Beryl is dreadfully ignorant, and a most unruly, self-willed girl. And I am afraid Coral is little better. You will have to be very firm with them, and punish them as often as they require it."
"I am nearly twenty-five; that is not so very young," said Miss Burton, with a smile. "I think I shall be able to get on with the children. I have managed worse girls than they are, if one may judge by their looks."
"Well, you have your work before you," returned Miss Hollys, with an ominous nod.
"How lovely it is here!" said Miss Burton, half an hour later, as she stood at the drawing-room window, and looked on the broad stretch of beach and the blue, heaving waves. "It is a delightful change from London."
"You will find it very dull when you have been here a little time," said Miss Hollys; "you will long to get back to town."
"I think not, for I am fond of a country life," said Miss Burton. "I was brought up in the country. It is only for the last few years that we have lived in London. Oh, how beautiful the sea looks! It makes me long to swim in it."
"Can you swim?" asked Beryl, in a tone of supreme astonishment.