Betty slipped her hand confidingly into hers.
'Yes, please; and will you tell me who you are? I think you're rather like a lady I'm trying to find. She teaches children, a governess she is, and she's old and young together. You're much more like her than Mrs. Giles is.'
But the lady did not satisfy Betty's curiosity; she only said,—
'I have never taught any children in my life,' and led her up the grassy walk to the gate in the wall.
'I am only going to let you stand inside for a moment, and then you must run away. And you must never come over the wire netting in the wood again. You and your brothers and sister can play in the other part of the wood, but I will not have children running over my private walks.'
She opened the gate, and Betty saw a lovely flower garden, with a smooth, grassy lawn, and away in the distance a great white house. The flowers were exquisite, and to Betty's London eyes they were a feast of delight. Her little face flushed with pleasure.
'Do you live here?' she asked. 'How happy you must be!'
'Do you like it better than my wood?'
Betty turned from the blaze of sunshine and brightness to look at the cool green glade behind her. She did not answer for a minute, then she said, pointing with her small finger down the grassy avenue,—
'It's something like church down there, it looks so quiet. But this garden is like heaven, I think.'