” You sound regretful. I believe you’re sighing for the old days.” He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled at me. Did I fancy that there was a hint of relief in his face, as though he had come up to a dangerous corner and had rounded it satisfactorily?

” Since I met and married Favel Farington,” he replied, ” I ask nothing more of life.”

And although he was smiling, I couldn’t doubt that he meant what he said; and, as usual, he had the power to disperse all my doubts and fears with a look, a word and a smile.

Roc kept his promise and the next day took me with him to his study, and, as much as he could in a short time, explained certain matters about the estate. It did not take me very long to grasp the fact that although we were by no means verging on bankruptcy we were in a way fighting a losing battle against the times.

Roc smiled at me ruefully. ” It’s like the tide slowly but surely creeping in. The end of the old way is not exactly imminent, but it’s creeping towards us. Mind you, we’ve hung on longer than most. I’d be sorry if we fell to the National Trust in my time.”

” You think it’s certain to happen. Roc?”

” Nothing in life is certain darling. Suppose I were to win a hundred thousand … I reckon that would put us on our feet for a few generations.”

” You’re not thinking of gambling?” I asked in alarm. He put his arm about me. ” Don’t worry,” he said. ” I never risk what I can’t afford to lose.” , ” You told me that before.”

” It’s only one of many things I’ve told you before. How much I love you, for one thing.”

” The conversation is wandering from the point,” I said with a laugh.

” That’s right,” he retorted. ” I know you’re going to be a good business woman. You’ll keep me on the straight path, won’t you? Things have been in a far worse state than they are now, I can assure you; and we’ve pulled through. Why, in my father’s day . “

” What happened then?”

“We were in much greater difficulties. Fortunately my mother brought enough to put us on our feet again.”

I stared at the open book before me, and instead of the columns of figures saw that sad sweet face under the blue-banded hat. There seemed no escape from Barbarina.

Roc, who was standing behind my chair, stooped suddenly and kissed the top of my head.

“Don’t let it worry you.

Something will turn up, you’ll see. It always does for me. Did I ever tell you I was born lucky? “

Strangely enough that was a very happy day for me, and the fact that the finances at Pendorric were not as sound as they should have been gave me a feeling of deep comfort.

I had begun to think that Roc was too much like his father and that my story was turning out to be too similar to that of Barbarina. But this was the difference: Barbarina had been married for her money when Roc’s father was in love with Louisa Sellick. Roc, needing money for Pendorric, as his father had, had met me, a penniless girl, and had married her.

Oh no, my story was very different from that of Barbarina.

Mrs. Penhalligan was making Cornish pasties when I went down to the kitchen.

She looked up flushed and bright-eyed when I entered; her pink cotton sleeves were rolled up above the elbow, her short fat fingers busy.

One of the twins was sitting under the table eating a pasty. ” Good afternoon, Mrs. Pendorric,” said Mrs. Penhalligan. ” Good afternoon, Mrs. Penhauigan.”

Mrs. Penhalligan went on rolling her pastry. ” Don’t do to let it hang about too long, ma’am,” she murmured apologetically. ” The secret be to make it and pop it into the oven as quick as you can. This be for Father. He’s terrible particular about his pasty and he do want one regular each night. So when I bake I do four or five for him. I keep them in a tin … they be all nice and fresh that way, though the best is them as is eaten straight from the oven.”

“I’ve come to ask what tobacco your father smokes. I thought I’d go along to see him when I have the time and take him something to smoke.”

A head popped over the side of the table. ” Beware the Ides of March,” said a voice low with prophecy.

” Oh give over. Miss Lowella, do,” said Mrs. Penhalligan.

“She’s been under my feet all day. Looking through the window, popping up here and there with her talk of Beware of this and that. Reckon she belongs to be in Bodmin Asylum.”

Lowella smiled and went into the bake house

” I don’t know,” grumbled Mrs. Penhalligan. ” That Miss Bective, she’s supposed to be looking after they two. Well, where be she to, half the time, I’m wondering.”

” You were going to tell me what tobacco.”

“That I were, and right good it is of you, ma’am. Tis Three Nuns—the Empire, you do know. His one extravagance. But then it’s only the two ounces a week he smokes and Maria and me like him to have his little treat.”

” I’ll remember.”

Lowella had come back; she was holding a small pasty in her hand. ” Someone won’t be wanting her supper like as not,” commented Mrs. Penhalligan.

Lowella regarded us both solemnly before crawling under the table.

“He’ll be that pleased,” went on Mrs. Penhalligan.

“I reckon hell be sitting out this afternoon. It’ll make his day.”

” I’ll be getting along,” I told her.

As I made for the door Lowella darted out from under the table and reached it before me.

” I say, Bride,” she said, ” I’ll come with you if you like—to see old Jesse, I mean.”

” Don’t bother,” I replied. ” I know the way.”

She shrugged her shoulders and went back into the kitchen, presumably to sit under the table and finish her pasty and now and then pop up to tell Mrs. Penhalligan or Maria or Hetty to beware the Ides of March.

Not far from the cottages was a house which had been turned into a general store. It was small, overcrowded, and run by a Mrs. Robinson who had come to Pendorric for a holiday twenty years before, realised that the nearest shop was two miles away, and had bought the house and made it into a shop. She sold among other things the brands of tobacco smoked by her neighbours, and kept stocks in readiness for them. So I had no difficulty in getting what I wanted.

As I came out of the shop I saw that the twins were waiting for me. I was not pleased, for I had wanted to be alone with the old man, but there was nothing I could do but accept their company as graciously as possible.

They fell into step beside me without a word, as though we had arranged to meet.

” Where’s Miss Bective?” I asked.

The twins exchanged glances as though each was waiting for the other to speak.

It was Lowella who answered. ” She’s gone off in the little Morris.

She said we were to pick her six different wild flowers. It’s botany.”

” How many have you found so far? ” ” We haven’t looked yet. My dear Bride, how long do you think it’s going to take us to find six different wild flowers? Becky won’t say much if we don’t find ‘em anyway. She’d never say we were undisciplined, would she, because if she did they’d say we ought to go to school, and if we went to school there wouldn’t be any excuse for Beoky to be at Pendorric.”

” Don’t you think you ought to obey her instructions? After all she is your governess.”

” You oughtn’t to be worrying about us,” said Hyson. Lowella leaped on ahead and ran up the bank to pick a wild rose. She stuck it in her hair and danced before us singing, ” Beware … beware … beware the Ides of March.”

Hyson said: ” Lowella is quite childish sometimes. She goes on repeating things.”

” She seems to like warning people,” I commented. ” I remember Beware the awful avalanche!” ” ” I like Ides better,” called Lowella.

“You can’t have avalanches in Cornwall, but you can have Ides anywhere. Pity they’re in March and this is July.”

” She doesn’t know anything,” put in Hyson scornfully. She went on to quote:

“” March, July, October, May, The Ides fall on the fifteenth day.

Lowella had paused. ” But what are Ides?”

” Just a date, stupid. Instead of saying the fifteenth, the Romans said the Ides.”

” Only a date,” wailed Lowella. ” It sounds marvelous. I thought it was something ‘like witches … or ghosts. Fancy having to beware of a date.”

” If something was going to happen on a certain date, if it were prophesied to happen… that would be more frightening or as frightening as witches or ghosts.”

” Yes,” said Lowella slowly, ” I suppose it would.” We had reached the row of cottages and old Jesse was seated at his door. I went over to him and said: ” Good afternoon. I’m Mrs. Pendorric.”

I noticed that his hands, resting on his knees, started to shake. ” Tis good of ‘ee, ma’am,” he said.

” I’ve brought you some tobacco. I found out from Mrs. Penhalligan what brand you smoke.”

His trembling hands closed over the tin and he smiled.

“Why, ‘twas thoughtful of ‘ee, ma’am. I mind how kind she always were….” Hyson had gone into the cottage and brought out a stool which she set beside the old man’s chair. She nodded to me to sit down while she squatted on the other side of him. Lowella had disappeared. “Your daughter has been baking pasties this morning,” I told him. ” A wonderful cook, my Bessie. Don’t rightly know what I’d do without her. I’ve got a lot to be thankful for. Mr. Roc—he’s been good to me.

Is the little ‘un here? “

” Yes, I’m here,” Hyson answered.

He nodded and turned to me. ” I hope you find this place to your liking, ma’am.”

” I’m delighted with it.”

” Tis a long time since we’ve had a new Bride at Pendorric.”