Huldah looked and looked again at the pictures; she thought they were perfectly beautiful; but by-and-by she began to fidget a little.
She was tired of lying quiet, and the silence and stillness worried her. She slid off the sofa, and sat on the edge of it, wondering if she might move, if she might go and see d.i.c.k, or clean up the grate and light the fire.
Presently there was a whine at the back door. d.i.c.k had come in search of her. She stood up and quietly made a step or two towards the scullery and the back door, wondering if she would be taking a great liberty to let him in. She did long to. And then, while she stood hesitating she heard a voice calling weakly down the stairs, "Little girl--Huldah, are you there?"
Huldah, greatly relieved, sprang to the foot of the stairs. She was glad to have the silence broken at last. "Yes ma"am. It was only d.i.c.k whining to come in."
"Let him in, then come up to me, will you?"
Ordering d.i.c.k to stay below, Huldah mounted the stairs, full of awe.
She had not been allowed up them before. She thought the little winding white staircase was wonderful, and oh, how clean it all was!
At the top was a landing about a yard square, and an open door.
Through the doorway she saw an old-fashioned bed with pretty flowered frills and curtains, and lying on the bed was Mrs. Perry.
"Come in, child," she said, feebly. "I"ve been calling to you for ever so long, but I couldn"t make you hear. I expect you were very tired, and slept heavy."
"I"ve been awake for a good bit," said Huldah, "but I didn"t like to move about till you come. I wish I"d heard you. Did you want me?"
"Yes, I"m feeling very bad. I think I must have got a chill last night, or else the fright upset me."
"Oh, I _am_ sorry," cried Huldah, with genuine feeling. Mrs. Perry really did look very white and ill, and Huldah felt quite alarmed.
"Can I get you something? What can I do? Shall I light the fire?"
she asked, eagerly.
"Yes, if you will, I"d be very much obliged. I"d like a cup of tea, as hot as I can drink it, and," pointing to some flannel lying on the bed, "if you could make that very hot, and bring it up to me, I"d be glad. Perhaps heat"ll ease the pain a bit."
"I"ll be as quick as I can," said Huldah, eagerly, turning to hurry downstairs. "Is there anything else?"
"Oh my, yes! there"s the fowls; they"ll be wanting their breakfast.
It"s all put ready for them in a pan in the scullery, if you"ll give it to them. Don"t let them out into the garden."
"I"ll see to that," said Huldah, cheerfully.
"Then when they"re out eating their food, go into the house, and see if there"s any eggs in the nests."
"Yes, ma"am, and please may I borrow the loan of the bucket, to have a wash? I"m feeling all dusty and dirty."
Mrs. Perry smiled, in spite of her pain. "Yes, of course.
You"ll find a basin and soap, and a rough towel in the scullery, too.
I"m glad you reminded me."
Huldah slipped down the stairs as blithe as a bird. This was keeping house in real earnest, and she loved it. She set to work to light the fire and tidy the stove first, then she went and fed the hens, and came back triumphantly, carrying three large eggs. When she had shown these to Mrs. Perry, and discussed their size and beauty--and surely there never had been such eggs found before--she went down and had her wash, and oh, how she did enjoy it! She wished she had a clean frock or ap.r.o.n to put on, too. But when she remembered all she had got, she felt ashamed of herself, for even thinking of wanting anything more.
In the scullery was a sweeping-brush, and the sight of it tempted her to sweep up the kitchen. She opened the door wide, to let in the sunshine and fresh air and the sweet scent of flowers, and then she went sweeping away, not only the doorstep, but the tiled path down the garden to the gate. For the moment she had forgotten her fear of being discovered. All here seemed so different, so safe and peaceful, and far away from her old unhappy life.
The sun was shining radiantly, drying up the dew on the flowers, and making the red-tiled path glow warmly; it seemed to fill the garden, the cottage, and all Huldah"s world with cheerfulness. By the time she had finished sweeping, the kettle was singing, so Huldah got the teapot and warmed it. She even warmed the cup and saucer too, in her anxiety that Mrs. Perry should have her tea as hot as possible.
Then she cut a slice of bread as neatly as she could and toasted it.
d.i.c.k was lying out in the sun, gnawing at the remains of his ham-bone, as happy as a dog could be. Huldah glanced out at him every now and then while she was toasting the bread, and tried to realise that they were the same two who only yesterday morning were thrashed so unmercifully--she, for giving d.i.c.k some bread and b.u.t.ter, and d.i.c.k for eating it, after which had followed that dreadful scene when her uncle Tom had kicked poor old helpless Charlie so cruelly, partly because the poor old horse moved slowly, but chiefly because he knew that it would hurt Huldah more than any beating or starving of herself could.
It hurt her so greatly that she felt she could not bear it any longer, and then and there made up her mind to run away. Half of Charlie"s kicks and blows were given him, she knew, because they hurt and angered her. Perhaps, she thought, if she were gone life would become easier for him. So she went,--and that was only yesterday, and the only pang of feeling or remorse that she felt for what she had done was the loss of Charlie.
CHAPTER IV.
MISS ROSE.
"Do you think you could find your way to the vicarage?"
Huldah had given Mrs. Perry her breakfast, and taken her own, and now had gone up again to remove the cup and plate, and ask what more she could do. She was longing to make herself useful, that she might show how grateful she was for all that had been done for her.
"Yes, I"m sure I could," she answered, readily.
"Miss Rose said she"d come to me any time I wanted her, and I feel I want her now, but I don"t know how to let her know, unless you will go for me."
"I"ll go," said Huldah, eagerly. "I"d like to." Then, with sudden recollection of her uncle and aunt, her heart sank. "I--I don"t suppose I"d meet uncle that way, but--but there"d be the chance of that, any way I went," she added, trying to be brave and sensible.
Mrs. Perry looked anxious too. "I don"t s"pose he could have got so far by this time, even if he came this way. You see, he"d have to keep to the road with the van, and you cut across country."
"Oh, it"s sure to be all right," said Huldah, more bravely, determined not to be afraid. "I won"t take d.i.c.k, though, if you"ll keep him, ma"am. If I did see them coming, I could hide behind a hedge or somewhere, but d.i.c.k, he"s racing everywhere, and I"d never be able to hide him too."
"Would they recognise him--so far from where they lost him?"
"Oh yes, ma"am, and he"d know them and Charlie, and he"d be sure to run up to speak to Charlie."
"Very well; you leave d.i.c.k here with me. I"ll be glad to have him for company while you"re gone; you"d better start before the day gets any hotter. Tell Miss Rose, that if she can spare the time, and it isn"t very inconvenient I"d be very much obliged if she could come to see me to-day. You"ll remember, won"t you?"
"Yes, ma"am, I"ll tell her you"m bad in bed."
"I wish," began Mrs. Perry, then hesitated, her eyes glancing over the shabby little maiden standing by her bedside. "I wish you weren"t quite so--I wish you were a little tidier."
Huldah flushed under her glance. "My face and hands is clean," she said, shyly, "and I"ll put the sweeping-brush over my hair--"
Mrs. Perry smiled, in spite of herself. "No, don"t do that, child; take and use that one over there by the looking-gla.s.s; but "twas your frock I was thinking about, and your ap.r.o.n is too ragged and dirty to see a lady in. I don"t suppose you could wear one of mine--it"d be too long, wouldn"t it?"
"I"m "fraid it would, ma"am, but I"ll try, if you like."
"There"s one there on the chair by the door; hold it up against you, and let me see how it looks."
Huldah took the ap.r.o.n shyly, and held it round her waist. It hung far below her frock, and reached the top of her foot, but it hid her shabby old frock, and certainly gave her a cleaner look.
"P"raps if I tied it round under my arms it would look better," she suggested. She was very anxious to be a credit to her new friend, and she was even more anxious not to shock Miss Rose, at first sight, by her disreputable appearance.
"Yes, that will do," agreed Mrs. Perry, approvingly, and Huldah, quite unconscious of the funny figure she cut, started off in high spirits.
"Go to the top of the lane till you reach the high road, then turn to your right, and keep straight on till you come to the church and the vicarage. Go to the back door and knock gently, and ask to see Miss Rose. Do you understand?"