Mrs. Pringle of Fairacre Read Online Free

fourteen-year-old the makings of a first-class teacher. She and her life-long friend Emily Davis had
trained together, and both taught locally for many years, known officially as 'uncertificated teachers' but, like so many thus designated, were efficient, dedicated and much-loved by pupils and parents.

    The vicar had told me all this. It was plain that he had a high regard for Miss Clare, as I had too.
    We discussed a few practical matters concerned with the timetable and then, inevitably, the subject of Mrs Pringle cropped up. I told her that I had decided to postpone any firm invitation to the lady about working in the school house, and she nodded approval.
    'She's not an easy person, as no doubt you've guessed. In any case, the position now is rather different. When we had a head master it was the wife who coped with the domestic side. Now you have to deal with her at school and in your home. Very wise to take it step by step.'
    'Why is she so difficult?'
    Miss Clare smiled. 'I expect present-day psychologists would blame some childhood drama, or even heredity, as no one these days seems to accept the fact that evil is as rife today as ever it was.'
    'I wouldn't have labelled Mrs P. as evil,' I protested, 'just a bit of a misery.'
    'That's true. But why she is such a misery is a mystery. I suppose I've known her longer than most people in Fairacre.'
    'Did you teach her?'
    'No. She was brought up in Caxley. Born there too, I believe, and was the first child. But she had relations in Fairacre, an aunt and uncle, though whether they were blood relatives or simply friends of her parents, I don't know, but they used to have her for visits during the school holidays, so I used to see her about.'
    'What was she like as a child?'
    'Much the same as she is today,' said Dolly Clare, looking amused. 'The first time I came across her, she had been sent to this aunt because the next child was coming into the world. She was particularly resentful, but we all put it down to temporary jealousy, quite common on these occasions.'
    'Did it pass?'
    'No, I can't say it did. And when another baby turned up, it made things worse. Mind you, I don't think the two younger children were the reason for Maud being so gloomy. I realise now that she was that by nature, and time has proved it.'
    'Well, I'm glad to know that my reaction to the lady is pretty general. And I'm glad to know her name is Maud!'
    'But don't dare to call her by it,' warned Miss Clare. 'She would look upon that as terribly familiar! No, "Mrs Pringle" it must be, I assure you.'
    I promised to remember.

    On the night before term began, as I prepared for bed, I thought how lucky I was to have obtained this post in Fairacre. I had already made friends with Dolly Clare, Bob Willet, the kind vicar and his wife, and was on nodding terms with most of the other local inhabitants.
    My house was as straight as one could reasonably expect in the time, although the new curtains, being made by someone Amy had recommended, were still not done, and there was a strange ticking noise at night which I could not track down, and only prayed that it was not something gruesome like death watch beetle at work.
    The school gleamed from Mrs Pringle's labours, and a
strong smell of yellow soap, mingled with carbolic disinfectant, greeted one as the door opened.
    The stocks of books, stationery, and educational apparatus seemed adequate, but I had been busy with a list of further requirements which I hoped would soon be forthcoming.
    All in all, I climbed into bed that night in a hopeful frame of mind. Amy had once said: 'Will you feel lonely out there in the wilds?' I could truthfully say that I had been so enchanted with my house and garden, the village and the glorious countryside surrounding it, that I had not felt the faintest qualm of loneliness.
    And tomorrow, I had no doubt that I should have other responsibilities which were equally absorbing. I was not so euphoric as to imagine that all would