A kind of startled cry escaped her. She seemed suddenly to remember that Jack was still is ignorance of the loss which had befallen them. Her hands were wrung together.
"Don't try to say much. Only a word, to tell where Jack might be found. I should like to go after him at once."
"I'm sure it's very kind," faltered Mrs. Groates. "Everybody is so kind. He was going to the old windmill, sir, beyond New Maxham, to see about flour. Yes, walking,—he meant to walk both ways. And he was to come home by the sea-road, because Mimy meant to meet him, if she could get there in time."
"Then I will meet him, instead of Mimy. That is better. I will take care how he is told."
"Thank you, sir, kindly;" and Mrs. Groates looked at him with a glimmer of tears in her eyes. She had not yet wept at all. "It will be a comfort when my Jack comes back."
[CHAPTER XXI]
THE TELLING OF THE NEWS
"LET her to have a good cry, poor thing, if you can. Much better for her," the Vicar said to Mildred in a low tone, as he was going away.
Mildred did not find the advice easy to carry out. Mrs. Groates sat down, indeed, by the fire, when desired to do so, and dropped into a waking dream, with the same fixed look in her eyes, and hands clasped forlornly on one knee; but she showed no signs of breaking down.
It so happened that nobody else was in the house. Jack was away on business: the second boy, Will, had been at sea during many months past; the two next boys were at school; while Mimy had taken the youngest boy and girl for a ramble. So there was nothing to rouse Mrs. Groates; and she remained seated, half-stupefied, gazing into the fire.