aret looked more
miserable even than before, "is not intended as a reproof, for the way
they went on was enough to make any one lose their temper, but as a
friendly warning. They'll tease you unmercifully if they find you lose
your temper, and I shan't be able to stop it. And now, my dear, unless
you like to come back to the billiard-room and show them that you don't
care a rap for their laughter, I'll take you to your room. Which would
you like to do?"

"Oh, go to my room, please," said Margaret hastily, who felt that on no
account would she face any one of the Danvers' family again that night.

"Did you lose your temper?" inquired Nancy. "Then I'm jolly glad to hear
it. Listen to the wretches laughing still. So many to one wasn't fair.
I hope you gave it to them hot. They deserved it."

"So they did," said Mrs. Danvers heartily, and Margaret, who had yet to
learn Mrs. Danvers always sided with the last speaker, took courage from
that remark. It showed at all events, she thought, that her sudden
passionate outburst had not caused Mrs. Danvers to take a dislike to her.

"I have put you in the big spare room," Mrs. Danvers said, as with
Margaret following in her wake she led the way slowly upstairs. "Nancy
and Joan have the other spare rooms, and I was really keeping this for an
old aunt of mine, who may come later. If she does come while you are
here, you won't mind turning out for her, will you, and going into the
dressing-room opening out of this? There is a bed in it, and really it is
quite a fair-sized little room; but I thought as this was empty I should
like you to have it for the time being anyway. A nice room, isn't it?"
Mrs. Danvers was so evidently well pleased with herself for having given
a mere holiday governess the best bedroom in her house that Margaret
hastened to admire it.

It was indeed a luxuriously furnished room, perfect in all its
appointments, and its handsome solid old mahogany furniture looked well
against the dull blue Axminster carpet and the blue silk hangings of
the big double bed. The walls were blue also.

"Yes, I think you will be comfortable," Mrs. Danvers said, glancing
round. "You see there is a sofa and an armchair and a writing-table, so
that if at any time you want to get away from the noisy young folk
downstairs you have got a nice retreat to come to. They have unstrapped
your trunk I see; but as Collins, the head housemaid, is out to-night,
your unpacking has not been done