A man's voice answered:
"That you, Esther?"
I could tell she recognized it, for instantly hers changed, showed fear and a sort of pleading:
"Oh, why do you call me up here? I told you not to."
"My dear girl, it's all right—I know they're all out at this hour."
"The servants—I'm afraid of them—and there's a new nursery governess come."
"I know. I met her in the woods that day. Did you?"
"Of course I did. How could I help it? I said I'd been bathing. We mustn't go there again—it's much better to write."
The man gave a laugh that was good-humored and easy:
"Don't take it so hard. There's not the slightest need to be worried. I called you up to say everything was O. K."