Sea Ponies by Marjorie Mary Oliver & Eva Ducat

Author:Marjorie Mary Oliver & Eva Ducat [Oliver, Marjorie Mary & Ducat, Eva]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jane Badger Books

11

Highbury Hall

The Jacksons’ house, Highbury Hall, was a big modern house standing about three miles inland from Wilderney. It was very solid, comfortable, and ugly, and had cost Mr. Jackson a great deal of money. He had built it when he retired from business, and was extremely proud of it; but Mrs. Jackson and the children did not care for it so much, chiefly because he had chosen a place with no trees near it and consequently there was no shade in the garden. As Mary and Tom rode up the gravel drive after their lesson with Miss Rhoda, the sun beat down on them so mercilessly that they thought it must be the most scorching place in England; but they had no time to think how hot and tired they were, for before they reached the front door, not only was the second groom waiting to take their ponies, but Mrs. Jackson herself had dashed out to meet them.

“My darlings,” she cried anxiously, “has anything happened? Are you all right? It’s so late that I was afraid there had been an accident.”

Mrs. Jackson was slight and fair with a sweet face and a gentle voice, and now her blue eyes looked ready to cry as she searched her children’s faces; but it was impossible to be anxious long in sight of their beaming smiles.

“Oh, Mummy,” cried their delighted voices, “we’ve had such a lovely morning! We were enjoying ourselves so much we didn’t know it was so late. We’re dreadfully sorry.”

Mrs. Jackson had never seen them more excited or happy; they both talked together, and it was not till they had thrown themselves off their ponies that they were able to tell her where they had been or what they had done.

“With Miss Belton and the children from Wilderney!” repeated Mrs. Jackson, aghast at the news, for she knew her husband neither liked nor approved of his tenant.

“Yes,” cried Mary impetuously, “they are the nicest people we’ve ever met. The children can make their ponies do anything, and Miss Belton showed us how to make Merrymaid and Sunshine jump the breakwater. Oh, Mummy, it was too exciting; I did wish you had been there to see us!”

“I never saw a girl like Chris,” added Tom.

“We like Miss Belton dreadfully,” cried Mary. “Don’t we, Tom?” Tom nodded his head vigorously; he always agreed with Mary and did as she told him, but this time he had decided for himself that, after his mother, Miss Belton was the nicest lady he had met.

“She knew all about Churcher, too,” continued Mary excitedly; “wasn’t it odd?”

“She called him Syd,” echoed Tom, “and said he was the boy who wouldn’t let go. Churcher was awfully pleased about it and talked of it all the way home.”

Poor Mrs. Jackson hardly knew how to receive her children’s confidences; she had never seen them so radiant and eager, and it was evident they had lost their hearts to the Wilderney party. Her spirits sank as she thought of their father and what he would say.

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