‘Mr Culpeper was certain that he would get the scholarship,’ she ended, ‘and, you know, I’m not sure that in the end it might not be to Sydney’s advantage to go to a bigger school, where there were boys of his own age, more fun, and more competition. . . .’

‘You could say that of all of them.’

‘I do say it.’

For the first time, Mrs Baines spoke with some expression in her voice; she said, with a sudden and alarming spitefulness:

‘You’d be out of a job!’

‘Out of Walwyk, but not unemployed, I hope. I admit that from my point of view it is a very pleasant post, but that is not the first consideration. The Walwyk school has many advantages, but I don’t think we should be blind to the disadvantages. Lack of classmates of one’s own age and sex is a great drawback.’

‘Ah, now you’re thinking about Ethel and Sydney. Well, I’ll admit I was wrong there. Ethel’s all right.’

‘If you mean as a companion for Sydney, I never doubted that. Or did you perhaps mean that you’ve changed your mind about the relationship between Ethel and her grandmother; is that all right ?’

Even in her own ears, the question sounded forced and contrived. Mrs Baines received it with a look of naked antagonism.

‘We all make mistakes,’ she said.

‘Indeed we do. But you vouched for Sydney’s truthfulness, and he saw . . .’

‘He stood outside and thought he saw. There’s the long and short of it, Miss Mayfield. A lot of to-do about nothing.’

The voice in Miss Mayfield’s mind made its comment with its usual clarity. Mrs Baines has changed sides, it said.

‘I’d be happy to think that you were right. Let’s leave all that. Let’s think of Sydney and his future.’

‘If he went to Wandford Grammar, he’d have to be a boarder.’

‘A weekly boarder. You’d see him every Friday evening and—’

‘I wish,’ Mrs Baines said, interrupting rudely, ‘you’d think before you go rushing at things. How’d he get home on Friday? Walk from Renham bus stop? In winter, snow and fog. Even you, Miss Mayfield, can’t believe that Canon Thorby is going to send the car to fetch home a boy who didn’t think his pet school was good enough for him.’

‘Well . . . no; I admit I hadn’t considered every little detail.’ To her immense surprise, she found herself growing angry. ‘I only received these papers this morning. Nine days ago you came to me, asking what would happen to Sydney if you decided to move. I made what inquiry I could and bring you the result . . . Why are you so cross with me?’

Mrs Baines said quickly. ‘Because you are so interfering.’ Having said that, her face, her manner underwent a change, and she continued in a pleasant but false way: