had mapped out my whole day for me--practising, reading,
driving, etcetera, but I just said straight out that I'd promised to go
the rounds with father, and I think she was glad, though very much
surprised.

"He will be so pleased to have you! It's nice of you, dear, to think of
it, and after all it will be exercise, and there's not much going on in
the morning."

She never seemed to think I should enjoy it, and I suppose it would bore
her as much to walk round to the stables and kennels, and talk to the
keepers about game, and the steward about new roofs to cottages, and
cutting timber, as it does him to go to garden-parties and pay formal
calls. It seems strange to live together so long and to be so
different.

I have not met many strangers as yet, because Vere is bringing down a
party of visitors for August, and mother is not in a hurry to take me
about until I have got all my things; but one morning, when I was out
with father, I met such a big, handsome man, quite young, with a brown
face and laughing eyes, dressed in the nice country fashion which I
love--Norfolk jacket, knickerbockers and leggings. Father hailed him at
once, and they talked together for a moment without taking any notice of
me, and then father remembered me suddenly, and said--

"This is my youngest daughter. Come home from school to play with me,
haven't you, Babs?" and the strange man smiled and nodded, and said,
"How do, Babs?" just as calmly and patronisingly as if I had been two.
For a moment I was furious, until I remembered my hockey skirt and cloth
cap, and hair done in a door-knocker, with no doubt ends flying about
all round my face. I daresay I looked fourteen at the most, and he
thought I was home for the holidays. I decided that it would be rather
fun to foster the delusion, and behave just as I liked without thinking
of what was proper all the time, and then some day he would find out his
mistake, and feel properly abashed. His name is Will Dudley, and he is
staying with Mr Lloyd, the agent for the property which adjoins
father's, learning how to look after land, for some day he will inherit
a big estate from an uncle, so he likes to get all the experience he
can, and to talk to father, and go about with him whenever he has the
chance, and father likes to have him--I could tell it by the way he
looks and talks. We walked miles that morning, over gates and stiles,
and across brooks without dreaming of waiting for the brid