“O, I teach myself in the evenings. Reginald wanted to get me a governess, but I would not. How should I ever get Grice and the servants to obey me if they saw that I had to do what a strange woman told me? It would not do at all.”
Just then they were passing the ruins of Titheburgh Abbey. It was almost dark, for the winter’s evening was closing in rapidly, when suddenly Dorothy gave a little shriek, for from behind a ruined wall there rose up an armed mysterious figure with something white behind it. Next second she saw that it was Jeremy, who had returned from shooting, and was apparently waiting for them.
“O Jeremy, how you frightened me! What is it?”
“I want to speak to him,” was the laconic reply.
Ernest stood still, wondering what was coming.
“Look here! You told a lie to try to save me from catching it this morning. You said that you began it. You didn’t. I began it. I’d have told him too,” and he jerked his thumb in the direction of Dum’s Ness, “only my mouth was so full of words I could not get it out. But I want to say I thank you, and here, take the dog. He’s a nasty tempered devil, but he’ll grow very fond of you if you are kind to him;” and seizing the astonished Nails by the collar, he thrust him towards Ernest.
For a moment there was a struggle in Ernest’s mind, for he greatly longed to possess a bull-terrier dog; but his gentleman-like feeling prevailed. “I don’t want the dog, and I didn’t do anything in particular.”
“Yes, you did, though,” replied Jeremy, greatly relieved that Ernest did not accept his dog, which he loved, “or at least you did more than anybody ever did before; but I tell you what, I’ll do as much for you one day. I’ll do anything you like.”
“Will you, though?” answered Ernest, who was a sharp youth, and opportunely remembered Dorothy’s request.
“Yes, I will.”