Mr. Tiddy looked at the speaker with a tender smile; but he did not think it worth while to say that, to him, their visitor had appeared anything but poor. Perhaps, he reflected, the child might be right after all, for he knew how often those rich in worldly possessions are poor in heart.
[CHAPTER VI]
MISS LEIGHTON'S DISCOVERY
THE daffodil blooms had all been gathered; March had given place to April; and, day by day, Peggy was improving in health, whilst roses—faint as yet, it is true—were appearing in her cheeks. The doctor's prescription of a change of air was evidently what she had needed; and Mrs. Tiddy was much gratified at being able to write most cheering reports of her visitor's condition to Mrs. Pringle, who read them aloud to her husband and Billy with deep thankfulness in her heart.
"How we shall miss the child when she leaves us!" Mr. Tiddy remarked to his wife one evening, as they strolled up and down the path in front of the house when the work of the day was over, listening to the music which Peggy's fingers were drawing from the piano in the parlour. The little girl was naturally musical and had been well taught by her father, who had often told her that if she worked hard and practised industriously, she might become a real musician some day, and to be a real musician was her most earnest desire.
"But she is not going to leave us for a long while yet," Mrs. Tiddy responded. "I have written and told her mother that she must spare her to us for another month, at least, and I think she will be glad to let her stay, as her health is benefiting so much by our Cornish air. By the way, Ebenezer, have you heard that there are lodgers at Higher Brimley? No? An elderly lady and her maid have taken Mrs. Ford's apartments. They were pointed out to me in the village this afternoon when Peggy and I were returning from the beach. And Peggy says she is sure the lady is the one who came from Penzance on purpose to look at our flowers. She is a tall, thin, old lady with quite white hair."
"You don't say so!" exclaimed the farmer. "I told her she could get apartments at Higher Brimley, but I did not think she really meant to see about them. Did she speak to Peggy?"
"No; she did not see her, for we were in the post office when she passed with her maid. Peggy recognised her by her voice."
"I wonder who she is. You did not hear her name, I suppose?"
"No. Listen! The child is singing!"