Part 45 (2/2)
It was high time she a.s.serted herself over various matters.
Her Dutch might not have been very grammatical, but she certainly got
the gist other wishes over to Nanny; in future she would take the children shopping for their clothes and when they were naughty they were to be punished not severely, but enough to make them realise that they had done something wrong.
And Nanny wasn't to s.h.i.+eld them from punishment, either.
”You don't love them,” declared Nanny.
”Oh, yes, I do I want them to grow up like their father.
Nanny.
You love them, but you spoil them.
' She hoped she had the right words; she had looked them up earlier.
”You haven't helped me, have you?
I should like to be friends.
' ”You wish to take my place,” Nanny snorted.
”Never, mevrouwV
”Of course I don't want to take your place, why should I and how could I?.
The children love you, you fill a gap.
' She said hole because she didn't know the Dutch for gap and anyway
her Dutch was beginning to peter out.
But Nanny seemed to understand.
She looked surprised and then pleased before her face resumed its usual
disapproving look.
The children were unusually talkative at lunch, telling a rather
involved story about a cottage, uninhabited now, which had at one time
belonged to Nanny.
”It's not far from here,” said Sarel, 'in the Langestraat, there's a
steeg on the left.
We've always wanted to go there, but Papa won't let us because he says it's dangerous.
' He eyed Alethea thoughtfully.
”Why is it dangerous?
' ”T don't know,” observed Alethea, only half listening, 'but if your
papa says it is and you mustn't go there, then you must obey him.
' ”We could go and look at it from the outside.
' Sarel gave her a quick look.
”Well, no, I don't think that's a good idea, I'd much rather you
didn't.
' ”We obey Papa, but we don't have to obey you,” muttered Sarel.
Alethea paled a little.
”No,” she said steadily, ”T don't suppose you do unless you want to.
All the same, please wait until your papa gets home he'll be here
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