She pouted and shook her shoulders; but there was an odd fascination for her in this young, firm little teacher, and when the marks were given at the end of school she anticipated notice for her giggling by saying with a benevolent smile: "Law, teacher, I'll say my Catechism next Sunday. I ain't a-going to give you any trouble." Geraldine had never seen anyone in the least like Florence before. Her smiling absence of deference and good-natured patronage amazed her. "I suppose you don't _intend_ to give trouble," she said. "I am sorry you don't know your Catechism, but we'll try and teach you while you're here. Learn the first three answers for next Sunday." The two pair of bright eyes met, a little defiantly, but somehow Florence felt uncomfortable. "Well, she is a plucky little thing," she said to her neighbour as they rose. "_She_ ain't afraid of us." "Miss Geraldine!" "I like the look of her," said Florrie. "I shall try behaving myself. I can if I choose; some girls can't." CHAPTER EIGHT. GRANNY. After church Wyn went to attend to the supper of some of the animals which were in his special charge, and Mrs Warren took Florence up to the great house to see her old mother-in-law, who had once been housekeeper, but was now old and rheumatic, and confined to one room. As they walked through the park they met Geraldine and her governess. Mrs Warren made her dignified little curtsey, and Florrie grinned from ear to ear with extreme good-nature, and what she felt to be the kindest notice of her new teacher. Mrs Warren noticed, but again said nothing. They walked through the great fruit-gardens round to the back entrance and into the servants' hall, from which they went first to visit Mrs Hay in the housekeeper's room. Mrs Warren was a welcome guest, and there was plenty of politeness to her young friend. Florence was an observant girl; her ideas of superior service had risen hitherto to a villa "where three were kept." These solemn upper servants, with their vast comfortable premises, their handsome clothes, and their intense sense of superiority, were more overawing to her than their masters and mistresses would have been. "They can't have much to do but look at each other," she thought, with some truth; for the establishment at Ashcroft had never been reduced when the gay rush of social life, for which it had been calculated, had stopped altogether. Aunt Stroud had certainly talked of the Ashcroft household, but Florence had been rather in the habit of supposing that all these respectable ladies and gentlemen had been invented for her edification. Like all girls of her sort, Florence, if she _did_ feel shy, had absolutely no manners at all and when Mrs Hay spoke to her she only sniggered and stuck out her foot, feeling relieved when they went upstairs to see "Granny."