“You ought to forgive and forget, Davie,” said she.
“I can’t forget Antony,” replied David, “and I don’t want to forgive Nancy. I’d rather not.”
“But she would be the first to forget any wrong thing you did to her,” continued Mrs Hawthorn.
“Nancy always forgets,” said David, “wrong things and right things too.”
Mrs Hawthorn was silenced, for this was strictly true.
“I don’t know what to make of David,” she said to her husband afterwards. “I would ask you to let him have the pig back, but I don’t think he ought to have it while he shows this unforgiving spirit.”
“Let him alone,” said the vicar. “Leave it to time.”
So David was left alone; but time went on and did not seem to soften his feelings in the least, and this was at last brought about by a very unexpected person.
One morning Miss Unity, who had now been staying some time at Easney, went out to take a little air in the garden: it was rather damp under foot, for it had rained in the night, but now the sun shone brightly, and she stepped forth, well protected by over-shoes and thick shawl, with the intention of taking exercise for exactly a quarter of an hour.
From the direction of the Wilderness she heard shouts and laughter which warned her of the children’s whereabouts, and she turned at once into another path which led to the kitchen-garden.