"Yes. He came into the room when Wallis was telling me what my duties would be, but he did not remain many minutes. He spoke to me very kindly, though, and asked for you. What a feeble old man he looks! I wonder if he means to leave Mrs. Wallis his property?"
Miss Pring shook her head, and said she had not the least idea what his intentions were. She was actually very curious to meet Sir Jasper's niece, whom he had mentioned to her in very affectionate terms. Sir Jasper never visited his tenant at Home Vale; but she went to see her landlord on every quarter day to pay her rent, and since his son's death she had waived ceremony at his request, and had called upon him on several occasions in a friendly fashion. The master of the Moat House had a sincere liking and respect for his plain-spoken neighbour, who went her own way, irrespective of public opinion.
"It will be such happiness to be at work again," Mary proceeded, as Miss Pring turned her attention once more to her labours, and having finished spading up the earth, raked it until it was quite smooth and fine. "Let me see, Aunt Esther, you are going to put kidney beans here, are you not?"
"Yes," was the response, "I shall soon till the beans now the earth is prepared for them; and in the meantime you may get dinner ready—cold beef, and there's a baked custard in the oven."
Mary nodded comprehendingly, and ran back to the house to do her aunt's bidding, whilst Miss Pring tilled her beans, humming a song the while, for she felt particularly light of heart. She had not a musical voice—it sounded rather like a bee in a pitcher—but there was a jubilant note discernible in it, nevertheless, very pleasant to hear. Not even Mary guessed the depth of her aunt's joy that she had obtained the situation as governess at the Moat House, for Miss Pring had never confessed to living soul the sense of loneliness she had often experienced before she had brought her niece to Home Vale. Her work satisfactorily completed at length, the gardener carefully cleaned and put away her tools, and then went indoors, and upstairs to her own room, where she changed her gardening attire for a neat black gown with white linen cuffs and collar, subsequently joining her niece at dinner. They spent the afternoon sewing in the little parlour, Mary talking light-heartedly of her coming duties; and after an early cup of tea they started for a walk.
It was in a shady lane where the branches of the hazel bushes almost met overhead that they encountered Celia and Joy Wallis, who had been finding treasures—wild hyacinths and anemones—in the mossy hedge-rows. The two girls were pleased to meet their new governess, who introduced them to her aunt.
"You must come and see me at Home Vale," said Miss Pring, hospitably.
"Mary," she added, turning to her niece, "you must bring your pupils to have tea with me one day."
"Oh, thank you!" Celia exclaimed. "We should like that, shouldn't we, Joy?"
"Yes," her sister nodded.