Mrs Jenkins cried a great deal when she saw Minette, and Owen was soon very sorry that he had brought the child. However he told her to go to a small inner room, the window of which looked into the street, and her attention was soon quite absorbed. Her grandmother was in a maudlin condition, out of which, under any other circumstances, Owen would have extracted mirth, but now he only felt anger and sorrow.
'Have you heard anything of Howel, Aunt 'Lizbeth?' he asked.
'Oh, annwyl! No. Mr Rice Rice is telling me there is a 'ditement brought against him for forgery, and now they can be taking him anywhere, and bringing him to trial as soon as they do find him. Forgery! name o' goodness, why 'ould he be forging, as I do say to every one, and his own mother as 'ould be giving him thousands of pounds. My Howels! Ach a fi! for sham to them! But he 'ont be found guilty, if they do tak him. Owen, bach! it was killing me, 'deet to goodness it was,'
'Don't cry, Aunt 'Lizbeth, I wanted to speak to you about Netta.'
'Oh seure! she 'ont come to see her husband's mother! and I don't be cheusing to be turned out of doors again.'
'She is very ill, aunt. We don't know whether she can ever recover. Her mind is wandering, and has been ever since that —Howel left her; she thinks he is gone for debt, and if she knew the real state of the case, it would probably be the death of her. If we could manage a meeting between you, could you speak only of Howel's debts, and not of this terrible suspicion.'
'Seurely I could; but I 'ont go to Glanyravon; if your father was turning me out of doors then, what will he be doing now?'
'We must see, Aunt 'Lizbeth? poor Netta sends her love to you, and begs you to keep up; she says she is sure Howel will come back; I was to tell you this.'
'Netta! Netta! poor dear, poor dear.'
Mrs Jenkins began to rock herself to and fro in her chair violently, and to cry hysterically.