Mr. Emma turned round and beamed at her. “Now, you are a kind little lady!” he said. “And I don’t know as you can’t help us. Yes, you come along o’ me, dearie. My missus will be glad to see your pretty little face, anyhow, and you can talk to her a bit in her own lingo, which I never could fathom, nohow.”
Peggy was very glad at that moment that she had paid attention to her French, which gave her this opportunity of helping her doll friends, though she had been far from thinking that she would ever make such extraordinary use of it when she had talked as much as she could to French people during her holidays. She followed Mr. Emma out of the room, and he locked the door carefully after him, and led the way downstairs.
Now would have been Colonel Jim’s opportunity, either to throw his cloak over Mr. Emma, who was in front of him, or else to bolt upstairs instead of down. If he had done that, Mr. Emma would have had to follow him, and then they could have had it out together, and Colonel Jim would probably have won, as he was younger and stronger than Mr. Emma. But, though as brave as a lion, Colonel Jim had a brain that did not move very fast. All he could do, as they went downstairs, was to nudge Peggy with his elbow, and that did not take them very far, for when she whispered to him, “What is it?” he had nothing to say.
So it rested with her to think of something, and she whispered to Colonel Jim, unheard by Mr. Emma, whose large feet were making a considerable noise, “I will try to get upstairs, and see if it is the Queen who is there; and you and Teddy must try to get in to us again. Then I will tell you what I have found out.”
Colonel Jim nodded his head repeatedly, and Peggy could only hope that he had understood what she had said, and would remember it, for she had not time to say it over again, as they had now reached the ground floor.
Mr. Emma unlocked the big door leading into the market-place, and Colonel Jim went out. Just as he was going down the steps, Peggy had another bright idea. She said to Mr. Emma, “We should like this man to bring us a few more pot-plants later on. I suppose you will let him in, if he comes.”
But Mr. Emma spoilt that little plan at the beginning, for he said, “No, dearie, I can’t do that. When he once goes out he stays out.” Then he locked the door.
Mrs. Emma was pleased to see Peggy again. She and Mr. Emma had had their own tea, and she was preparing trays to take up to the prisoners. Peggy helped her to do this, while Mr. Emma sat by the cradle of his baby doll, of which he seemed to be very fond. Peggy couldn’t help going over to have a look at it sometimes, and see it smile and gurgle; and it delighted Mr. Emma to see her so taken up with his baby doll. This was a very good thing, for when Peggy said, “Now, I will take up the trays, if you like,” Mr. Emma replied, “I ought not to let you do it, I suppose, because I shall have to give you my keys. But I’ve been so rushed off my legs today that I shan’t be sorry to sit still for a bit; and you’re such a nice little lady that I really feel as if I could do anything for you.”
“It is more like Mademoiselle doing something for you,” said Mrs. Emma, with a laugh. But if she had only known, she might not have said that.