Free The Runaways by Elizabeth Goudge

to learn the history of this country, its language and poetry? And in due course the history, language, and poetry of other countries, including your own?’
    ‘Yes!’ they said.
    ‘Together with the knowledge of such kindred subjects as mathematics, geography, grammar, and syntax? Education is a mosaic of beauty. The various coloured fragments are interrelated.’
    Understanding failed them, but they still said yes.
    ‘Very well then,’ said Uncle Ambrose. ‘Tomorrow we start work.’
    They gazed at him open-mouthed and Betsy said in a small voice, ‘Haven’t we been working this morning?’
    ‘Working? By Hector no!’ said Uncle Ambrose. ‘That was mere titillation of the appetite. Tomorrow I shall teach you how to lay the foundation stone of all education; hard work. Robert, do not look so downcast . Believe me, I will teach even you to find sweated labour entirely admirable. Go and wash your hands. I smell liver and bacon.’
    At dinner Uncle Ambrose was quite gay and chatty. ‘The education of the very young is something at which I have not hitherto tried my hand,’ he said to the world at large. ‘I taught the sixth form in my teaching days. But I have had my theories and I am not displeased at being compelled to put them into practice. Ezra, what’s to follow? Apple dumplings, I trust.’
    ‘No, sir. Junket, sir. Miss Betsy was poorly yesterday.’
    ‘Ah yes,’ said Uncle Ambrose resignedly. ‘You delivered my note to Lady Alicia?’
    ‘Yes, sir. An’ waited for the reply. ’Er ladyship will be pleased to lend ee two truckle-beds, two goose feather mattresses an’ two patchwork counterpanes. I be to take the trap to the Manor this afternoon an’ Moses Glory Glory Alleluja will give ’em to me.’
    Four pairs of pleading eyes fixed themselves on Uncle Ambrose’s face. ‘Certainly,’ he said. ‘Did I not say you could go where you liked and do what you liked in hours not devoted to education? It is most unlikely that you will see Lady Alicia, who has lived in strict seclusion for thirty years, but should you do so, present my compliments. Ezra, these children will accompany you upon your errand in order, I gather, to set eyes upon a man whose name it appears intrigues them. Ezra, if I am to eat junket it must be to the accompaniment of nutmeg, sugar, and cream.’
     
    An hour later Ezra and the children, Betsy’s doll Gertrude, with whom she had been reunited yesterday, Absolom, Rob-Roy and the pony-cart were driving up the hill to the village. Old Tom Biddle, who seemed tosit permanently just inside his front door, nodded and smiled as they went by and called out to Ezra, ‘See the little maid don’t get ’er eyes scratched out.’
    Ezra who did not seem to like Tom Biddle, growled and muttered to the children, ‘The old varmint! Today’s the second day I be forgettin’ to shut the dinin’ room window.’
    ‘Who would scratch out Betsy’s eyes?’ asked Nan anxiously. ‘Not Moses Glory Glory Alleluja?’
    ‘Lor’ no! Moses wouldn’t hurt a fly. ’E means Abednego. But if you don’t worrit Abednego, ’e won’t do you no ’arm. Likes to keep ’imself to ’imself, Abednego does. But worrit Abednego and I won’t be answerable for no consequences.’
    ‘We won’t worrit Abednego,’ they promised. They had reached the green and Ezra drove round it and stopped in front of the iron gates between the stone pillars with lions on top. The monkey was not there today. So this was the home of Lady Alicia. The children looked at each other with sparkling eyes and then the boys and Nan scrambled out of the trap to help Ezra get the gates open. Betsy stayed where she was, for she had Gertrude in her arms, and looking round she saw the cat Frederick come out of the shop. He sat down on the doorstep and became absorbed in washing behind his ears, but she knew very well that he was keeping his eye on them.
    The gates opened reluctantly, as though they seldom did, and did not want to