She had dropped into her rocking chair again and Archibald sat down on a broken-backed bench, while Pegeen went into the house. He could hear her bustling about in the kitchen and humming a gay tune as she worked.
“Ain’t she the cheerfulest thing?” Mrs. Benderby said, after a quiet moment in which she too had been listening to the quick, light steps and the rollicking tune. “Seems as if, as soon as she’s around, I feel rested. You just can’t slump down when Peg’s boosting you. Even thinking about her’s better than medicine. Some days when I ain’t my best and the work don’t go good, I hang on to the thought of Peg as if ’twas a patent life-preserver. Funny, ain’t it—a little scrap of a big-eyed thing like her! She ain’t exactly pretty, Peg ain’t, but I think the angels must be some like her.”
“I shouldn’t wonder,” Archibald agreed. He could understand why Pegeen had felt that she must go over and see to Mrs. Benderby. He felt strongly impelled to see to her himself—and he smiled as it occurred to him that perhaps he was really neighboring.
“You must put your heart into the gardens and the people,” the Smiling Lady had said. Well, he seemed to be putting his heart into Mrs. Benderby. Something ought to be done about her, something even more than Pegeen was doing. He didn’t like the remembrance of that clammy hand or the ache of weariness in the voice that held no trace of complaint or bitterness.
“You and Peg and I will have to look after each other a little,” he said later as he rose to go. “Of course I know that Peg could see to both of us competently with one hand tied behind her, but you and I will get into the game for our own sakes. I’m going to depend upon you to advise me about the child. Women understand such things better than men.”
“I’d be proud to help,” she said eagerly.
It seemed to him that the hand she gave him in good night had a thrill of warmth in it and that the bent shoulders had straightened just a little.
“Good night, Peg,” he called through the open door.
The small girl came running out.
“I was just getting ready for morning,” she explained. “Mrs. Benderby has to go off real early, and any way I thought it’d be nice for you and her to get acquainted without me there.