“I’m sorry, Auntie. I meant to post you a letter in the morning to say I was all right.”

“But what were you going to do, dear, out in the world all alone?”

“I don’t know—I thought of trying to get a job—”

“A job!” cried Aunt Effie, as though she had said a rattlesnake.

“Well, I only had two pounds seven, and so—”

“But surely you meant to come back home tomorrow!”

“No.”

“But why? Your father thinks it’s all because you didn’t want to go to a school, but surely—”

“I didn’t want to leave Nuns Farthing.”

“But you did leave it, when you came here!” Aunt Effie pointed out triumphantly.

“I know. I was wrong.”

“Well, I’m glad you see that now, at least. Sabrina, darling, promise me you’ll never run away again!” But Sabrina was silent, her arms locked round her bent knees, staring at the foot of the bed. “And I’ll make you a promise too,” Aunt Effie hurried on persuasively. “I’ll promise not to say anything more about Switzerland, unless you decide you really want to go. Is that a bargain?”

Sabrina turned a faintly hopeful face towards her aunt.

“Do you mean that, Auntie?”

“Of course I do! If I’d any idea you felt as strongly as all this about not going—well, we just won’t say anything more about it, shall we! No more school—no more running away!”

“That’s not good enough, Sabrina,” Hilary warned her. “Make her promise you won’t have to leave Nuns Farthing.”

But Sabrina, heavy with exhaustion, and being naturally a trustful soul, saw only that her lifelong dread of school could be forever dispelled.

“I promise,” she said.

“And I promise!” said Aunt Effie brightly. “Now, your father and I have taken rooms here for the rest of the night and we’ll all drive home together in the morning. Just think, your father has gone to bed in a room marked Henry VIII, isn’t that funny? And there are two lovely beds in my room, wouldn’t you like to come in there and be cozy?”

“No, thank you, Aunt Effie. I’ve unpacked here.”

“You’re sure you wouldn’t like me to help you move your things in there with me?”

“No, thank you, Auntie.”

“‘Well, remember, now, you’ve promised.”

“Yes, Auntie. Good-night.”

“Good-night, dear. Shall I put out the light?”

“Yes, please.”

Aunt Effie kissed her affectionately, and snapped out the light, and went away. Sabrina got up to lock the door behind her, and crawled back into bed and pulled the covers well up over her head.