Then she shuddered as she reflected on the accident. How terrible it would have been if her horses had killed Margaret's little daughter! She had made no inquiries concerning her niece since her marriage and had not even known where she was living, or if she had any children or not. Therefore, it had been somewhat of a shock to discover she had a child who was afflicted with blindness. She pictured Peggy, golden-haired and sunny-faced, and an unwonted expression of tenderness crossed her countenance. After all, she decided, she would remain at Higher Brimley for the time, for—it was weak of her, no doubt—she felt she must see Peggy once again.
[CHAPTER VII]
A GREAT SURPRISE
NOT quite a week later, Mr. Tiddy, crossing the fields in his usual leisurely fashion towards the house at dinner-time, caught sight of his wife and Peggy, standing at the garden gate, evidently waiting for him. As he drew near enough to see the expression of their faces, he noticed that both appeared excited, and as he joined them the little girl cried eagerly:
"Oh, Mr. Tiddy, we've had a visitor! She came and knocked at the door and asked if she might go round the garden. And who do you think she was?"
"Why, the old lady who's lodging at Higher Brimley, to be sure," answered Mr. Tiddy promptly, evincing no surprise. "I met her this morning, and she stopped and spoke to me. She expressed a desire to see our flowers, so I told her, she'd be welcome to look at them, whenever she pleased. She didn't lose much time in taking me at my word," he concluded, smilingly.
"Ah, but do you know who she is?" demanded Peggy. "No, we thought not. You'll be simply astounded when you hear. She didn't tell us until just as she was leaving, and then she said her name was Leighton, and that I was related to her—distantly related, she said. She's mother's Aunt Caroline, the rich lady who was in the carriage when—"
"What!" broke in the farmer, "You don't say so!" He looked questioningly at his wife as he spoke, and she hastened to reply:
"Yes, Ebenezer, it is true. There can be no doubt about it. She is that rich Miss Leighton of whom we have heard so much."
"I told her who I was that day she talked to me on the beach," Peggy said, with face and voice full of excitement. "She asked me my name; and—and I told her, too, all about my accident and how unkind we thought it of her to have driven away when I was hurt. I think perhaps she was cross at what I said, but I never dreamt who she was, so I don't think really it was my fault, do you, Mr. Tiddy?"