"Of course I don't know, ma'am," Barnes answered quietly, "and perhaps I have no right to pass my opinion; but, from what I've heard Miss Peggy say herself, I judge that it's very unlikely her mother and father would part with her, especially as she's blind. Parents generally love an afflicted child so much more dearly than those who are better fitted to face the world!" And Barnes's face softened into tenderness as she spoke.
"But they will have to provide for her future, and my niece's husband is a poor man. If anything happened to him—if he died, his widow and children would be penniless, and what would become of Peggy then—helpless and blind? Surely if her parents are so deeply attached to her, they will consider her interests! I will have nothing to do with Margaret herself, but she shall not be a loser if she will allow me to adopt Peggy. What do you think of my plan, Barnes?"
"I don't like it," Barnes responded in a low tone. "No, I don't like it," she repeated, gaining courage to speak her mind; "the little girl has a happy home, though I suppose it's a poor one, and she's been accustomed to a great deal of love—"
"And if I did not love her, should I desire to adopt her?" Miss Leighton broke in with unusual impetuosity.
"Your love is not like that which she's had all her life," Barnes said, refraining from meeting her mistress's glance. "How can it be, ma'am? You've taken a fancy to the child and you want her for your own sake, because she's sweet and loveable; but her mother and father will think of what's best for her—"
The maid's sentence was never finished—and perhaps it was as well, as Miss Leighton's countenance had darkened with anger—for at that moment Mrs. Ford knocked at the door with the information that there were visitors downstairs. And on descending to her sitting-room, the old lady found Mrs. Tiddy and Peggy awaiting her.
"We are so sorry we were not at home when you called, Miss Leighton," said Mrs. Tiddy, "especially as you are leaving to-morrow—I thought you would not go till Saturday. We have just returned from Penzance, where we have spent the day."
"I hope you have had a pleasant time," Miss Leighton remarked genially. "But are you not very tired?"
"I think Peggy is," Mrs. Tiddy replied, "but when we heard you had been to Lower Brimley in our absence to say good-bye to us, she felt with me that we could not let you go without a word of farewell, so we decided to come straight on here. We must only stay a few minutes, though, as my husband is waiting in the dog-cart outside."
"We have had such a lovely day," Peggy informed Miss Leighton. "We had dinner at an hotel, and we rode to Land's End in a Jersey car; Mr. Tiddy said I must not go home without having been to Land's End."