she begins lessons. Give her simple, healthy food. Let her run wild in
the garden. Don t look after her too much. She needs liberty and fresh
air and romping about. Mrs. Sowerby is to come and see her now and then
and she may sometimes go to the cottage.
Mrs. Medlock looked pleased. She was relieved to hear that she need not
look after Mary too much. She had felt her a tiresome charge and had
indeed seen as little of her as she dared. In addition to this she was
fond of Martha s mother.
Thank you, sir, she said. Susan Sowerby and me went to school
together and she s as sensible and good-hearted a woman as you d find
in a day s walk. I never had any children myself and she s had twelve,
and there never was healthier or better ones. Miss Mary can get no harm
from them. I d always take Susan Sowerby s advice about children
myself. She s what you might call healthy-minded if you understand me.
I understand, Mr. Craven answered. Take Miss Mary away now and send
Pitcher to me.
When Mrs. Medlock left her at the end of her own corridor Mary flew
back to her room. She found Martha waiting there. Martha had, in fact,
hurried back after she had removed the dinner service.
I can have my garden! cried Mary. I may have it where I like! I am
not going to have a governess for a long time! Your mother is coming to
see me and I may go to your cottage! He says a little girl like me
could not do any harm and I may do what I like anywhere!
Eh! said Martha delightedly, that was nice of him wasn t it?
Martha, said Mary solemnly, he is really a nice man, only his face
is so miserable and his forehead is all drawn together.
She ran as quickly as she could to the garden. She had been away so
much longer than she had thought she should and she knew Dickon would
have to set out early on his five-mile walk. When she slipped through
the door under the ivy, she saw he was not working where she had left
him. The gardening tools were laid together under a tree. She ran to
them, looking all round the place, but there was no Dickon to be seen.
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