She had taken a deep interest in Gertie from the first, and, as the beauties of the child’s nature blossomed in the sunshine of her care, she grew to love the little outcast with almost maternal love.
She had a great fight with her conscience over keeping their connexion a secret from the grandfather; but she found out for a certainty that she would be forbidden the house, and so for Gertie’s sake she played the Jesuit, and convinced herself that the end justified the means.
Gertie’s books were hidden up in her bed-room, where Heckett never went. Only Lion knew about them. She was beginning to write a little now, and she had a slate on which she wrote letters to Lion and to Miss Adrian and did little sums.
It was a strange sight to see Ruth and her protégée at lessons. The foxhound and the spaniel and the bulldog always wagged their tails when Ruth came in, and then sat down on their haunches and stared at the proceedings.
Lion was privileged. He was one of the class. But then he was such a superior dog to all the others. They were always being sold and going away and being replaced by other dogs before they had learned proper behaviour. But Lion was part of the establishment. Heckett kept him to guard the premises, perhaps.
When Ruth had gone, Gertie would sit with her arm round Lion’s neck and say her lessons over to him, and explain things that perhaps might not be quite clear to him.
Lion said nothing, but he evidently thought a good deal. Unfortunately, there was a member of the menagerie who behaved very indifferently. That was the parrot.
The parrot’s interruptions were shameful and scandalous. When Miss Adrian was there he had to be quieted with lumps of sugar. He rarely swore before her. Gertie was very thankful for that. The parrot only swore as a rule at grandfather. But Polly interrupted lessons; in fact, she took part in them.
When Miss Ruth, by constant repetition, had impressed upon Gertie that England was an island, surrounded by water, the parrot said ‘Humbug,’ and persisted in saying ‘Humbug.’
Gertie apologised for Polly’s rudeness, and hoped her mistress would look over it, and Ruth laughed merrily and told her it was Polly’s bad bringing up.