His grandfather, who was now kind, assisted him. Then he drew him to him, held him close and comforted him.
'No more shall be said of this,' his grandfather said. 'Be a good boy. We all love you. We all love you very much indeed.'
After this he listened more intently than before because there were enemies about. He was not at all an unhappy boy, but now he was reserved, cautious, very careful, and his fear of his grandfather never left him. The admiration, the desire to be loved by him was as constant as ever, but he was afraid, not because he had been whipped but because of the eyes that had looked at him before the whipping. Nevertheless he was on the whole a very happy boy. Michael Brighouse came, and before Michael there had begun his friendship with Roger Parkin.
It was at a childr
