t Uncle Geoff says?"

"And Pierson?" said Racey.

"Pierson's soon going away. It doesn't matter for her," I said.

"But Uncle Geoff?" repeated Tom, returning to the charge. "Don't you
like him, Audrey?" he continued half timidly, as if afraid of having a
different opinion from mine. "I think he's nice."

"Oh, I dare say he's nice," said I. "Besides, any way, he's our uncle,
whether he's nice or not. But we sha'n't see him often--he's so busy,
you know. It doesn't matter for him. It's only that I want you always to
count me first--like as if I was instead of mother, you know. That's
what mother wants."

"Yes, dear Audrey, _dear_ Audrey," cried both boys at once. And then
they put their arms round my neck, and hugged me so that we all three
rolled on the floor, and Pierson, coming in just then, would no doubt
have scolded us, but that her mind was too full of Mrs. Partridge and
her offences to take in anything else.

"It isn't _her_ house," she said, "and I'm sure to hear how she goes on
any one might think it was."

"What does she say, Pierson?" I asked, coming close to Pierson, and
looking up in her face.

"Oh, nonsense--grumbling about what an upset it's been in the house,
children coming; having to take down the bed in this room, and get new
little ones, and all that sort of talk. And worry-worrying at me to see
that you don't scratch the walls, or go up and down-stairs with dirty
boots on, and all such nonsense. And after all, what could be more
natural than your coming here? Dr. Gower is own brother to your papa,
and no one else belonging to him. But I'm sure if it wasn't for what
Harding would say," Harding was Pierson's going-to-be husband, "and that
I really _durstn't_ put him off again, I'd--I'd--I really don't know
what I'd do."

"What would you do? Do tell me, Pierson," I entreated.

"I don't know, Miss Audrey. I'm silly, I suppose; but it seems to me if
your mamma could have left you with me in some little house in a nice
country place, we might have been ever so happy."

"Only our lessons, Pierson?" I said regretfully. "And Harding wouldn't
wait, would he?--so there's no use thinking about it."

"None whatever, and of course it's true about lessons. No doubt Master
Tom--and you too, Miss Audrey--will need good teachers. I must just hope
that whoever comes after me will be good to you and not let that old
woman put upon you."

"She sha'n't put upon _the boys_ any way," I said, with so determin