tell me , how did you come ? did Weir bring you ? before Linda could make any reply Ralph Batley &apos;s voice cut in sharply from behind her , saying : this is my uncle , Mr MacNally , and this - the hand came past her and rested on the boy &apos;s head - this is my nephew , Michael . before she could acknowledge the introductions he went on : take Miss Metcalfe up to the house , Uncle Shane . aye , Ralph . yes , I &apos;ll do that . will you come along now ? the old man backed away from her , one arm extended in a courtly gesture . she felt inclined to laugh . from first impressions she did n&apos;t think she would get many laughs from her employer , but this old man seemed to be bubbling with a peculiar sense of joy . in the yard the wind tore at them , and as the old man steadied her with his hand on her elbow he yelled : have you long come ? I &apos;ve been away up in the top field , the fence is flat . no , I &apos;ve just arrived . then you have n&apos;t been in the house at all ? his voice was high with surprise . no . she could feel his bewilderment . I wondered about your case there . he put out his hand for it , and she let him take it from her . did Weir bring you up ? you did n&apos;t say . no , Mr Weir was out . you could n&apos;t have got here afore dark then ? no , I lost my way and I arrived at another farm . the name - she paused , then went on - the name was Cadwell . the old man came to an abrupt stop and his hand came off her arm . he turned to the boy and said : Michael . here , take hold of this case and go on up . he pushed the case and the lamp into the boy &apos;s hands , then added : away with you now . it was n&apos;t until the child had moved off that he said quickly : do n&apos;t tell me that a Cadwell brought you up here , then ? yes , the young man . Rouse , I think his name was . you did n&apos;t tell him - Ralph back there ? yes , I &apos;m afraid I did , I did n&apos;t see any reason not to . what have I done wrong ? there was a tremor of apprehension in her voice . I did n&apos;t know that Mr Cadwell and Mr Batley were at loggerheads . I &apos;m terribly sorry if I &apos;ve caused - that &apos;s all right , you were n&apos;t to know , girl , but I do n&apos;t know how Maggie will take this . come , and he took hold of her arm again . they were walking along a broad flagged terrace now and the wind was meeting them head-on , and when they reached the porch they both stood panting for a moment , before the old man said : I &apos;ll take off me boots . Maggie would brain me if I went in with me boots on . then bending towards Linda he whispered : wipe your feet - feeling very like a child , Linda did as she was requested , while she watched him hop from one stockinged foot to the other over the cold stone flags to the door . when he opened the door the reason was made plain , for the floor on to which she stepped was polished as she had never before seen a floor polished . but her attention was lifted from the floor to the hall which opened out before her , for in size and shape it was an exact replica of the hall of the Cadwells &apos; house . there was the same large open fireplace . there was the same winding staircase going off to the left with the balcony running from it along the entire length of the far wall ; yet for all the similarity this hall had nothing of the other &apos;s charm . a long black oak refectory table ran lengthways down the hall . standing with her back to it was a woman . she was of medium height with greying hair and had two patches of red high on her cheek bones . her expression checked Linda &apos;s progress . the Cadwells had looked at her each in their own way . Ralph Batley &apos;s appraisal had shown his surprise . the old man had greeted her gleefully , the boy with wonder ; but this woman &apos;s look was so different . it seemed as if she was being called upon to make a quick decision and was finding the process difficult . the woman was now coming towards Linda . I &apos;m sorry you &apos;ve had to find your own way . when you did n&apos;t come at two he thought maybe &amp;hellip; anyway he could n&apos;t leave the calving . the woman &apos;s voice was soft and thick and pleasant , but before Linda could say anything she had turned on the old man , crying : it &apos;s your fault . where d&apos; you think you &apos;ve been ? now Maggie , whisht a while , I was up in the top field with the railings as flat as a pancake . you would n&apos;t have me let the cattle get through , now would you ? oh . she moved her head impatiently then turned to Linda saying : well , come in , come in . here , let me have your coat . you &apos;ll be frozen . as Linda took off her coat Shane , tripping towards the fire-place like an aged gnome , said gaily : she &apos;s got her hand in already , Maggie , she &apos;s been helping with the calving . helping with the calving ? the woman looked up at her incredulously . Linda , going hot with what she knew was to come , said hesitantly : apparently I came in the back way . I saw the light in the byre . you came in the back way ? from the main road ? yes . oh . she nodded at Linda , a smile now softening her face . Mr Weir brought you ? no . no . Weir did n&apos;t bring her . they all turned their eyes towards the door under the balcony through which Ralph Batley was entering the room . as he came slowly across the hall he said to no one in particular : she took the wrong road . she watched him reach up to the high mantelshelf and take a pipe from out of a wooden rack , then he turned to his mother . but his eyes remained on the pipe as he said heavily : she forked right at the cliff end . Mrs Batley &apos;s brown eyes were wide and , unmistakably , there was fear in them . Ralph Batley turned from his mother &apos;s gaze to the fire now and lifting his foot he thrust it into the heart of the blazing logs . a shower of sparks sprayed around the chimney . then taking a home-made spill from out of a bunch and putting it towards the blaze , he said coldly : our neighbours were kind enough to bring her to the top gate . he was attempting to light an empty pipe . realising this he threw the spill into the fire and , as if to cover up his mistake , said with a poor attempt at lightness : I &apos;m forgetting , you have n&apos;t met my mother . Mrs Batley &apos;s response to this was to say quietly : you &apos;ll be wanting a wash , will you come up ? she turned about and walked across the hall . Linda , picking up her case , followed her up the stairs , along the balcony to the far end . there Mrs Batley opened a door , saying over her shoulder : I hope you &apos;ll be quite comfortable . Linda moved into the room . then turning quickly about she looked at the older woman appealingly and said under her breath : Mrs Batley , I seem to have done something wrong . I &apos;m sorry . Mrs Batley stared at her for a moment , then stepping into the bedroom and closing the door behind her , said : I &apos;m sorry too , my dear . I &apos;m sorry you had to start like this . one thing I &apos;ll ask of you , keep away from the - she paused here , then brought out - the Cadwells . if you want to work here and in peace , do n&apos;t even mention their name . and another thing I would ask you , do your best for him , will you ? you see he never wanted a woman on the place . but I was for it , and you &apos;re not quite what I expected . she held up her hand . no offence meant , but you do n&apos;t look exactly cut out for this life . still , time will tell . come down when you &apos;re ready . she went quickly out of the room leaving Linda staring at the closed door in bewilderment . slowly she turned and looked about her , and what she saw held some comfort , for there was a wood fire burning in the grate , the furniture was old-fashioned but solid and shining . the floor was bare wood and again highly polished , and before the hearth and by the side of the bed were two clippie rugs . in the corner stood her trunk and two cases . this then was her room . it was comfortable and homely , but all she wanted to do was sit down and cry . Linda did not unpack but washed herself and combed her hair . yet fifteen minutes later when she went quietly down the stairs , she could have been dressed for a ball , the way their eyes turned and watched her approach . the table was set now with a white cloth and was laden with food and she said apologetically : I hope I have n&apos;t kept you all waiting . no , no , we &apos;re just going to start . come and sit down . Mrs Batley took her seat at one end of the table and indicated a chair to the right of her . Linda had always considered that she had a good appetite although she may not have shown it in her figure , but she could not attempt to eat half of the dishes that were offered to her . there was little talking during the meal except at one stage when Mrs Batley asked : are your parents in farming ? no , but my uncle , my mother &apos;s brother , manages a farm . no one made any comment on this and Mrs Batley put in quickly : well if you &apos;ve all had sufficient you can make a move to the fire . Linda &apos;s help was accepted by Mrs Batley without comment . when some time later she was standing at the sink drying the dishes that Mrs Batley had washed and was searching in her mind for something to say to break the awkward silence , Mrs Batley said very softly : were you inside the house ? you mean the Cadwells ? Linda &apos;s voice , too , was quiet . Mrs Batley nodded . yes , I was in the hall . the older woman flicked her hands downwards into the sink with a violent movement , and with a harsh bitterness but still under her breath she said : I suppose you &apos;re comparing it with ours ? we have n&apos;t got a hundred-pound carpet nor all the fal-dals . Linda looked at Mrs Batley who was now thrusting the china noisily into the cupboard . she found herself pitying this woman , and she lied as she said softly : I did n&apos;t notice how the place was furnished . all that I can really remember is that the hall is similar in shape to yours . but one thing I did notice , the floor and furniture did n&apos;t gleam nearly so much as yours do . even if it had not been true she would have been bound to say it , for there was a loneliness emanating from the other woman that touched Linda . as she spoke Ralph Batley came into the kitchen . he looked neither at his mother nor at Linda but went straight to the back door and was on his way out when his mother said : will she do ? for a moment Linda had the awful sensation that the question referred to herself , but when the reply came : she &apos;ll do all right , she was forced to smile . it was the calf they were speaking about . in the living-room Shane was sitting with his feet stretched out to the blaze but he heaved himself up on her arrival , saying : sit yourself here . no , no , I &apos;ll sit here . do what he says , he &apos;s getting selfish enough . Mrs Batley was busy now setting up a framework to the side of the fireplace and Linda saw it was a half-finished rug . she watched her drop a carrier bag on Shane &apos;s knee , saying : get yourself busy , that &apos;ll keep you out of mischief . 