CHAPTER XIV.
SUSPICIONS.
Lottie had proceeded more than half of her way to Axe before her mind could realize her strange position, and the difficulties in which it must involve her. Her first thought had been of her father, her next of her young mistress; but every step that Lottie now took seemed to open to her a new complication of troubles. She had lost her place, and how could she expect to find a new one while she was utterly unable to explain why she had so suddenly left the last? What should she say to Mr. Eardley, who had taken such fatherly care to provide for her welfare? Poor Lottie became so utterly perplexed by her troubles, her first secret weighed on her frank honest nature as such an intolerable chain, that she could hardly think of physical weariness or discomfort, though the distance to Axe was long to be traversed by a fasting girl; and ere Lottie came in sight of the quaint little town, a shower which wet her clothes through and through.
The world was beginning to show signs of being astir as Lottie entered the High Street of Axe; tradesmen’s boys were taking down their shutters, the milkmaid was passing with her pails; the rain had ceased, and the clear morning sun was gleaming on the windows of the houses.
“Why, Lottie Stone, what ever brings you here at this ’ere hour of the day?” exclaimed Mrs. Green, the cobbler’s stout wife, over whose little shop Deborah had her lodging.
Lottie muttered something, she knew not what, as she hurried through the shop. She ran up the steep dark staircase, and entered the room of her mother, whom she found in bonnet and shawl, with an old carpet-bag in her hand, as if about to set out on a journey. Deborah started at the unexpected entrance of her daughter, all wet with the rain, and flushed with excitement and the fatigue of a long, weary walk.
“O mother, here, here’s for father!” exclaimed Lottie, eagerly holding out the five sovereigns which Mr. Gritton had given her.
“It is from God!” cried Deborah; “He has sent it—praise be to His goodness! Lottie, I’ve scarce a minute to tell you of it, for I must be off to catch the train, but I’m a-going to Southampton myself.”