"I want to do so," Mrs. Pringle replied. "I have some shopping to do first of all, and afterwards we may, perhaps, extend our walk."
Accordingly Peggy and her mother spent most of the morning out-of-doors. They were both in excellent spirits, and though, of course, they had to take their walk in the streets, they thoroughly enjoyed it. Mrs. Pringle looked into the shops and told her little daughter what the windows contained; and they bought a bunch of wallflowers from a costermonger's barrow, for a penny, which smelt almost as sweet as those at Lower Brimley, Peggy declared, and she wondered if they had come from Cornwall—that corner of the world which, to the blind child, would always be remembered as a paradise of flowers.
Then, on their way home, they encountered Mr. Maloney, whom Peggy had not met since her return. He turned and walked with them as far as their own door, listening with a rather preoccupied air, Mrs. Pringle thought, to the little girl's chatter, and watching her animated countenance with an expression of grave scrutiny in his kindly eyes.
"I want a private conversation with you and your husband, Mrs. Pringle," he remarked. "If I call this evening, shall I find you both disengaged?"
"Yes," she assented, adding anxiously, "there is nothing wrong, is there? You have no bad news to tell us?"
"Oh, no!" he responded, with a reassuring smile. "Please do not imagine that for a moment. I will call this evening, then, about seven."
Peggy wondered what Mr. Maloney could have to say to her parents in private. And Mr. Pringle expressed astonishment when his wife informed him at dinner-time of the reason the Vicar had assigned for his proposed call. Whilst Billy, though he made no remark, was filled with intense curiosity, and by the evening had become quite excited, and found great difficulty in concentrating his mind to prepare his lessons for the following day.
Mr. Pringle had given orders that the Vicar was to be shown into the music-room, as the small apartment was called which was apportioned to the use of the master of the house. And as soon as Mrs. Pringle, who had been sewing in the sitting-room, heard Sarah admit Mr. Maloney punctually at the hour he had appointed, she laid aside her work, and the next moment, the children were alone.
Billy continued to pore over his lesson books, whilst Peggy sat opposite to him at the table, her busy fingers engaged in knitting a sock, one of a pair she was making for her father. Sarah had taught the little girl the accomplishment of knitting during the long evenings of the previous winter, and the pupil did her teacher great credit. There had been silence in the room, except for the click of Peggy's knitting-needles, for some minutes, when the little girl suddenly dropped her work, and springing to her feet, stood listening intently.
"What is it?" asked Billy, glancing at her quickly, and noting that she had grown very pale. "What do you hear?"