On reaching her bedroom, she bolted the door, and, falling on the bed, gave way to a storm of tears.
"Oh, Hugh, Hugh!—my kind husband—oh! good friend and true!—why has God brought such sorrow upon thee? But, no! he shall not suffer—only me! only me!"
And then another flood of tears. She rose and went to the window, gazing silently at the leaden waters of the bay, silvered here and there by the moon, which was rising behind the village; then in a whisper she said:
"Ivor, Ivor! didst feel it as I did? Yes. I know by the tremble of his voice—'How are you, Mishtress?'—'I am well, thank you.' That is all—and that is all that must be between us. Ivor is strong and good—I must be the same!" And for the rest of the evening she lay still and thoughtful.
And thus began Gwladys' martyrdom—and no less that of Ivor's. To meet in the ordinary course of daily life, though not oftener than could possibly be avoided, was a trial under which, at first, both suffered acutely; and Gwladys drooped and wilted visibly in the stress of the storm through which she was passing. She turned her face daily towards the path of duty, endeavouring to take up every thread of interest which her life presented to her, and to brighten her husband's path, even though her own had been stripped of all beauty and joy; and gradually she earned the reward of comparative calm and peace—a peace which added a new charm to her beauty—so much so, that the villagers often remarked—"Wel wyr! the Mishtress grows prettier every day."
Hugh rejoiced much in the cheerfulness which she seemed to have somewhat regained.
"'Tis thy coming back, mach-geni," he would say to Ivor sometimes. "I put every good down to that as I put every evil to thy going away."
And Ivor would push his hat further back on his head, and attack his work with more vigour, saying:
"I am glad, Mishteer, if it is so."
In the sail-shed, the work-people rejoiced to have him once more amongst them—the same as ever in his frank and genial manner, though much changed in outward appearance; for it was remarked by all how much his illness had aged him.