Mrs. Pringle, the lugubrious school cleaner, has always been a favorite character in the Fairacre series. Here, through the eyes and anecdotes of the schoolmistress Miss Read and others, we trace Maud Pringle's life. They include childhood visits to the village from her Caxley home, through her working days before her marriage to Fred Pringle, and on to her long association with Fairacre School. We meet again many old friends as they cross Mrs. Pringle's path: Mr. Willet the caretaker, Mr. Partridge the vicar, Miss Clare, and Miss Read'' friend Amy. And their adventures make another enchanting excursion to Fairacre that will delight Miss Read's devoted followers.