The English Tutor Read Online Free PDF Page B

objected Brian. “ I mean he wouldn ’ t be much use if he was as old as that. ”
    “ The English schoolmaster, is it? ” said Michael John, and screwed up his face in serious thought. “ No, that would be a little old, maybe. About fifty would be my guess. ”
    “ Fifty, ” said Clancy dubiously. “ That ’ s old of course, but not very old. I ’ m afraid he might manage the stairs at fifty, wouldn ’ t you, Michael John? ”
    “ Ah, well, there ’ s no tellin ’ , ” Michael John said comfortably. “ Thim English are a puny race. The poor felly will likely have a heart attack when he ’ s run up and down enough times. ”
    “ Oh, I wouldn ’ t want him to do that, ” said Clancy hastily. “ Just perhaps weaken him a little so he ’ d go back to England. ”
    Michael John spat on his hands and went back to the digging which they had interrupted.
    “ They ’ ll weaken him, ” he said, and began to cackle with mirth. “ An ’ if the stairs don ’ t do it, Miss Clancy, you will for sure. ”
    They wandered home by the south pasture, where they found Conn inspecting his young stock.
    “ They ’ re looking better, aren ’ t they? ” Clancy said, stroking the neck of the horse he was riding with loving fingers.
    “ A little. ” He sounded depressed. “ Those two fillies haven ’ t picked up as I ’ d hoped. The grass is poor this spring. ”
    “ Ah, well, it ’ s early yet. They ’ ve all the summer before them, ” she replied, and remembered the dealer in Duneen who had said that if Conn wanted to make money he should move his stable.
    “ Conn, you wouldn ’ t ever leave Slievaun, would you? ” she asked anxiously.
    He glanced down at her curiously.
    “ Why do you ask that? ”
    “ Oh, something that man Daley said to me in Duneen the other day. He said the land your side was unsuited for horsebreeding, and if you wanted to make money you should move. ”
    He shifted a little impatiently in the saddle.
    “ So he ’ s always telling me. Well, so I might, one day. ”
    “ Oh, Conn, no! ”
    “ Don ’ t you want me to make money? ”
    “ I ’ d rather have you across the water at Slievaun. If you went—oh, Conn, what would become of me? ”
    He laughed and put a careless hand on her head.
    “ You ’ ll be married and away from Kilmallin by that time, I shouldn ’ t be surprised, ” he answered with amusement.
    “ Clancy married! ” Brian exclaimed in disbelief.
    Conn surveyed her slight body and tangled hair.
    “ Well, some time in the next ten years, ” he amended laughingly.
    Clancy took her hand from the horse ’ s neck and smoothed her hair.
    “ In ten year ’ s time I shall be twenty-seven, ” she said severely, “ and that ’ s getting on for a woman. ”
    “ So you will, ” Conn said with surprise. “ I keep forgetting how old you are. ”
    “ Yes, you do, ” she replied sedately. “ Everyone does. Let me have a ride, Conn. Just once round the field. Kilmallin ’ s away to Castledrum. ”
    He dismounted and she swung herself up in his place. He watched her approvingly as she cantered round the field, straight and firm in the saddle as he had taught her, her skirt hitched high above her bare knees.
    “ It ’ s a pity Kilmallin won ’ t allow you a horse, ” he remarked, as she handed the reins over to him again. “ You ’ d make a good horsewoman. Micky-the-post tells me the new tutor arrives the day after tomorrow. Are you getting all your slings and arrows polished up, Clancy?
    “ Did he tell you his name? ” asked Brian eagerly.
    “ No. I didn ’ t ask him. Is it something peculiar? ”
    “ We don ’ t know. Kilmallin just roared with laughter and wouldn ’ t tell us. Clancy says it ’ s probably something awful like Smelly, or Feather—Feather—what did you call it, Clancy? ”
    “ Ah, who cares what his silly old name is? Well find out soon enough, ” she said. “ Will you come back to tea, Conn? There ’ s nobody there. Aunt