Tom.

I hadn't thought of that; and my face fell. But Pierson had had more
foresight than I had supposed.

"Cray was the name of the village--near--near--oh, I can't remember near
where," I was saying, when Tom, who had been examining the letter with
great attention, exclaimed, "Audrey, there's more writing here on the
other side that you haven't seen--C. R.--I believe it's the 'drecktion."

And so it was.

"ESTHER PIERSON,
_Flure's Cottage_,
_Cray_,
_Near Coppleswade_.

is my adress," Pierson had added. Of course there was only one _d_ in
"address."

"What a good thing, isn't it?" said Tom. But just then we heard some one
coming up-stairs. In a fright I stuffed the letter into the front of my
dress; it was the first time in my life I had ever had anything to
conceal, and I felt at a loss how to do it. The steps turned out to be
Sarah's.

"Miss Audrey," she said. "You've to go down-stairs, please, to your
uncle's study. He wants to see you before he goes out, and he's in a
great hurry."

"Me alone?" I said.

"Yes, Miss; nothing was said about the young gentlemen; and I'm sure,"
she added, in a lower tone, "I'm sure Mrs. Partridge has been making
mischief. But never you mind, Miss, speak up for yourself."

I did not answer, but ran quickly down-stairs.

I was not the least afraid, but I had very bitter feelings in my heart.
Why should I be called naughty, and disobedient, and impertinent, and
all that, for the first time in my life? I knew I had sometimes a rather
cross temper, but when mother had spoken to me about it, I had always
felt sorry, and wished to be better. And since we had come to London, I
had really tried to be good, and to carry out what mother had said about
making the boys happy, and being kind to them. No one had any right to
begin scolding me when I had _not_ been naughty. This was what I was
saying to myself as I ran down-stairs, and though I was not afraid, yet
the feeling of Pierson's letter was a great comfort to me. I was not
altogether friendless.

When I knocked at the study door, Uncle Geoff called out, "Come in," at
once. He was standing on the hearth-rug, all ready--his coat buttoned up
to the top--to go out. I saw at once that he was quite different from
the day before.

"Audrey," he said, as soon as he saw me, "I do not want to be severe or
harsh to you, but it is necessary you should understand me. And it is
better you should do so at once. I wish to be kind to