Free The English Tutor by Sara Seale Page B

knew their place. They would not be dreaming of interfering in my department. ”
    Mark looked up and his lazy eyes were cold.
    “ But you, I ’ m afraid, are interfering in mine, ” he said quite quietly. “ Would you be good enough to leave us now? I cannot have interruptions during working hours. ”
    “ I ’ ll see the master about this, ” cried Agnes, outraged and nonplussed. She had ruled the governesses too long to recognize defeat now. “ I ’ ll have Kilmallin himself tell you who ’ s in charge up here. ”
    He regarded her calmly.
    “ In the schoolroom, Agnes, you ’ ll find I ’ m in charge, ” he said. “ Now will you kindly let the boy get on with his work. He shall have his milk at eleven o ’ clock. ”
    He nodded a quiet dismissal and went on with his writing. For a moment Agnes hesitated, then she whirled around and stumped out of the room.
    “ Cripes! ” said Brian. “ You certainly know how to handle women, Mr. Cromwell. ”
    Mark smiled faintly.
    “ Get on with your paper, ” he said.
    Brian sighed.
    “ I ’ m all in a muddle now. Isn ’ t it time for my milk? ”
    “ Another five minutes. Do the best you can and take your time. There ’ s no hurry. ”
    The morning wore away. Brian sighed and chewed his pen and made several blots on the foolscap, but by half - past twelve he had finished, and Mark told him he could go out into the garden until lunch-time.
    At two o ’ clock they were ready to start for the hunter trials, and Kevin had just brought the car round to the door when Clancy came tearing round the side of the house shouting to them to wait.
    “ I won ’ t be a minute, Kilmallin, ” she cried. “ I ’ ve only got to change my shoes. ”
    She started to run into the house, but Mark stopped her. “ I ’ m afraid Clancy won ’ t be going, Mr. O ’ Shane, ” he said.
    She tried to pull her wrist out of his firm grasp. “ What do you mean? ” she demanded. “ Of course I ’ m going.”
    “ Clancy was supposed to write her paper this morning, but she decided to be absent, ” Mark explained. “ So I ’ m afraid she ’ ll have to stay behind and do it this afternoon. Brian ’ s done his. ”
    Kevin laughed.
    “ Playing hooky, was she? That ’ s how she used to treat her governesses. ”
    “ Really? ” said Mark. “ Well, it ’ s not how she ’ s going to treat me. I ’ m sorry, Clancy, but it ’ s your own fault. ”
    She gazed at him incredulously.
    “ But what does it matter? I can do it any time. I ’ ll do it this evening. ”
    He shook his head at her. ‘
    “ No, Clancy, you ’ ll do it in my time, ” he said gently, “ and that ’ s now. Go along up to the schoolroom. ”
    “ Kilmallin! ” she cried, “ he can ’ t do this to me! You can ’ t let him do this to me! ”
    Kevin was enjoying the whole thing.
    “ Ah, sure, it ’ s nothing to do with me, ” he said. “ I only know I want to be off, or we ’ ll be late. Get in, Brian. ”
    “ You can ’ t make me! ” said Clancy, still trying to pull away from Mark. “ You can leave me behind, but you can ’ t make me write any silly paper. ”
    “ Oh, yes, I can, ” he replied, in his expressionless voice. “ You see, I ’ m staying behind too to see that you do it. I ’ m sorry, Mr. O ’ Shane, if we ’ ve spoilt your afternoon, but I ’ m afraid it can ’ t be helped. ”
    “ Ah, well, never mind, ” said Kevin, opening the door beside him for Brian. “ I ’ m sorry you ’ ll not be with us, but have my son, haven ’ t I, Brian, and that ’ s what matters. ”
    Clancy shivered and the bitter tears stung her eyes. To be cheated of this glorious afternoon; to watch Brian, who did not want to go, climb into the seat beside his father; to hear the pride in Kilmallin ’ s voice as he said ‘ my son ’ , and watch them drive away together.
    Mark let her go then, and she turned on him a look of utter hatred and fled into the house and upstairs. He followed her