They were
friendly with many of the village people, almost all of whom were their
uncle's patients at one time or another, and the Saturday expedition over
the moor from Durracombe was to them the central attraction of the whole
week.
On the first Saturday afternoon of the new term, by special invitation,
they called at The Haven, and made the acquaintance of at least a portion
of the Castleton family. Beata was practising her violin, but she laid it
aside at once.
"I'll finish my half-hour afterwards. It will do quite as well this
evening. It's too fine a day to stay stuffing inside the house. Do you
care to come into the garden? We can step out through this window. These
are the babies, Constable, Lilith, Perugia, and Gabriel. I was keeping an
eye on them while I practised, to see they weren't in any mischief.
Violet has a headache and is lying down. She's our stepmother, you know.
We don't let the little ones call her Violet though! Come here, Perugia,
and shake hands! She's rather a pet, isn't she?"
The younger Castletons, from curly-headed Constable, known familiarly as
'Cooney,' to lovely three-year-old Baby Gabriel, were beautiful children,
and looked particularly picturesque in holland play-overalls embroidered
with saxe-blue.
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