the staff would have to be given some information about her intentions, and it would be up to them to stay on or hand in their notices as they thought fit.
Alaine, with whom she had dinner one night only a few days after she had lunched with him, advised her to make the return journey to the north, and he also advised her strongly to stay at Giffard’s Prior. If she didn’t do so the house would be without either a master or a mistress, and old Angus had neglected it badly enough when he was alive. The fact that the various members of the staff had remained extraordinarily devoted to him, and had carried on admirably during his constant absences, was certain indication that he, at least, had been a good master to them, and he would expect Tina to carry on the tradition and be a good mistress.
Besides, Alaine urged, she had to live somewhere, and with a house like Giffard’s Prior why even think about living somewhere else? She couldn’t deceive herself about her possessions... she was a very wealthy young woman, and the sooner she got used to the fact the better.
Tina was inclined to look upon Dr. Giffard as a fount of wisdom—in the short time she had known him he had impressed her strongly as utterly reliable. And she was quite sure he didn’t resent her benefiting financially at the expense of himself. Also, apart from Mr. Jasper, there was no one else to advise her... And Mr. Jasper was too urbane and pompous to be easily approachable. He said, ‘Yes, yes, of course,’ whenever she voiced any doubts, and was increasingly surprised because she was so unwilling to accept the fact that she was financially secure, and had really nothing to worry about at all.
Indeed, she was very, very fortunate.
Dr. Giffard, on the other hand, could understand the reason why she could not work herself up into a state of excitement over her new possessions... although it wasn’t because she wasn’t secretly thrilled and amazed whenever she allowed herself to dwell on them. And Dr. Giffard’s advice never varied.
“Have a good time... I don’t suppose you’ve ever really known what it is to have a good time,” he said, for she had confided to him that she had been an orphan since her very earliest years, and the grim old aunt who had brought her up was not the kind to approve of young people enjoying life very much. On the contrary, life had to be looked upon as a very demanding and serious business indeed, and the frivolous pursuit of pleasure was violently frowned upon in her house.
Hence the reason why Tina’s jewel-blue eyes had a shadowed look in them sometimes that disagreed with the delicate, flowerlike youthfulness of her general appearance.
“I don’t think you’ve ever known what it is to have fun,” Alaine remarked, somewhat abruptly, on the second occasion when they dined together. “Old Angus probably realised that, and it struck him that here was a splendid opportunity to put right something that he regarded as an omission. A young girl living the lonely life that you were living, bothering to look after him when he was ill... How infinitely more worthy you were to inherit what he had to leave than anyone else he knew! So, although he couldn’t have been feeling too good at the time, he got in touch with his lawyers and had a fresh will drawn up. He left you everything, and he wanted you to enjoy it.”
Tina was watching him with wide open, interested eyes.
“And you think he meant me to live at Giffard’s Prior, and to give up teaching and that sort of thing?”
“Of course.”
“I remember he said I was too young to be responsible for young children, who needed lots of discipline. He recommended hearty spankings, which of course I disagree with. There were occasions when I read to him out of the newspapers that he said I was too solemn. Do I look solemn?” An expression that was vaguely anxious flitted across her face.
Dr. Giffard reassured her on this point, but he added that in another
Alaine, with whom she had dinner one night only a few days after she had lunched with him, advised her to make the return journey to the north, and he also advised her strongly to stay at Giffard’s Prior. If she didn’t do so the house would be without either a master or a mistress, and old Angus had neglected it badly enough when he was alive. The fact that the various members of the staff had remained extraordinarily devoted to him, and had carried on admirably during his constant absences, was certain indication that he, at least, had been a good master to them, and he would expect Tina to carry on the tradition and be a good mistress.
Besides, Alaine urged, she had to live somewhere, and with a house like Giffard’s Prior why even think about living somewhere else? She couldn’t deceive herself about her possessions... she was a very wealthy young woman, and the sooner she got used to the fact the better.
Tina was inclined to look upon Dr. Giffard as a fount of wisdom—in the short time she had known him he had impressed her strongly as utterly reliable. And she was quite sure he didn’t resent her benefiting financially at the expense of himself. Also, apart from Mr. Jasper, there was no one else to advise her... And Mr. Jasper was too urbane and pompous to be easily approachable. He said, ‘Yes, yes, of course,’ whenever she voiced any doubts, and was increasingly surprised because she was so unwilling to accept the fact that she was financially secure, and had really nothing to worry about at all.
Indeed, she was very, very fortunate.
Dr. Giffard, on the other hand, could understand the reason why she could not work herself up into a state of excitement over her new possessions... although it wasn’t because she wasn’t secretly thrilled and amazed whenever she allowed herself to dwell on them. And Dr. Giffard’s advice never varied.
“Have a good time... I don’t suppose you’ve ever really known what it is to have a good time,” he said, for she had confided to him that she had been an orphan since her very earliest years, and the grim old aunt who had brought her up was not the kind to approve of young people enjoying life very much. On the contrary, life had to be looked upon as a very demanding and serious business indeed, and the frivolous pursuit of pleasure was violently frowned upon in her house.
Hence the reason why Tina’s jewel-blue eyes had a shadowed look in them sometimes that disagreed with the delicate, flowerlike youthfulness of her general appearance.
“I don’t think you’ve ever known what it is to have fun,” Alaine remarked, somewhat abruptly, on the second occasion when they dined together. “Old Angus probably realised that, and it struck him that here was a splendid opportunity to put right something that he regarded as an omission. A young girl living the lonely life that you were living, bothering to look after him when he was ill... How infinitely more worthy you were to inherit what he had to leave than anyone else he knew! So, although he couldn’t have been feeling too good at the time, he got in touch with his lawyers and had a fresh will drawn up. He left you everything, and he wanted you to enjoy it.”
Tina was watching him with wide open, interested eyes.
“And you think he meant me to live at Giffard’s Prior, and to give up teaching and that sort of thing?”
“Of course.”
“I remember he said I was too young to be responsible for young children, who needed lots of discipline. He recommended hearty spankings, which of course I disagree with. There were occasions when I read to him out of the newspapers that he said I was too solemn. Do I look solemn?” An expression that was vaguely anxious flitted across her face.
Dr. Giffard reassured her on this point, but he added that in another
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