Olive openly grumbled. "They learnt well enough from mother, why couldn't they go on in the old way?" she was heard to ask.
And Lottie, for no other reason than because she thought it a clever thing to echo Olive's words, chimed in with, "Yes, it would be ever so much nicer to go on doing lessons as they did before."
Dora, though she wisely kept the opinion to herself, thought them both ungrateful little creatures. But the momentary feeling of annoyance over, she resolved with characteristic good temper that they should have as little cause as possible to regret the change, and she drew comfort from the fact that Giles, whom she half feared would protest against having her as his governess, made no remark whatever.
It was well for her peace of mind that she did not hear a conversation which took place between him and his eldest brother as soon as they had left the table.
In order to be in good time at the warehouse, Edgar often got up from breakfast before the younger children had finished, and during the holidays he had frequently been accompanied to the railway station by either Robert or Giles. This morning the latter asked permission to go with his brother, and his mother having willingly granted his request, he followed Edgar out of the room and into the hall.
There Giles burst forth with—
"I want to know if I can't go to school. I am sick of doing lessons at home like a girl."
The last three words were brought out with great contempt.
"I am afraid you must put up with it for a while longer," said Edgar, quietly. "After another year we shan't have to be so particular about spending a little money, and then I daresay you'll go with Robert again."
"It isn't as if it were a dear school. It wouldn't cost much to send me," went on Giles. "I remember hearing somebody say once it was one of the few things that were both cheap and good."