She paused for a moment to catch her breath before she went on,
“Without really thinking, I then hid in a cupboard where lots of old maps and books were kept. I suppose it was a silly thing to do, but I did it instinctively because I always avoided Steppapa whenever it was possible.
“I left the door slightly ajar so that I could breathe and I knew the man who he was with whose voice I recognised was Bernard Howell. He was one of his closest friends who was always coming either to luncheon or dinner and whom I hated because I thought that he was cruel to his horses.”
“What do you mean – cruel?” Milly asked.
“He used his whip at the slightest provocation and spurred them too hard. I even heard the servants saying when they thought that I was not listening that, because he was so cruel to
