“Would you like to know what I’ve been making up my mind to do, during these days that I’ve been living here like a rat in a hole?”
“Ye-es,” said Freda without looking up.
“Well, you’ll be shocked. At least, perhaps you won’t be, but anybody else would be. I’m going to turn farm-labourer, and here, in the very neighbourhood where I was brought up a gentleman, as they call it.”
The girl raised her head quickly, and looked him straight in the face, with shining, straightforward eyes.
“I think it is very brave of you,” she said in a high, clear voice.
“Hundreds of well educated young fellows,” he went on, flushed by her encouragement, “go out to Manitoba, and Texas, and those places, and do that or anything to keep themselves, and nobody thinks the less of them. Why shouldn’t I do the same here, in my own country, where I know something about the way of farming, which will all come in by-and-by? You see, I know my family’s disgraced, through my—my unfortunate cousin’s escapade; for even if it’s brought in manslaughter in a quarrel, as some of them say, he’ll get penal servitude. But, disgrace or no disgrace, I can’t bring myself to leave the old haunts; and as I’ve no money to farm this place, I’ll get work either here, if it lets, or somewhere near, if it doesn’t. I’ve made up my mind.”
The obstinate look which Freda had seen on his face before came out more strongly than ever as he said these words. During the pause that followed, they heard voices and footsteps approaching, and then Captain Mulgrave opened the door. The breaking up of the organisation he had worked so long seemed already to have had a good moral effect on him, for he spoke cheerfully as he turned to John Thurley, who followed him.
“Here’s the hermit! but oh, who’s this in the anchorite’s cell with him? Why, it’s the nun!”
John Thurley looked deeply annoyed. He had an Englishman’s natural feeling that he was very much the superior of a man who looked underfed; and it was this haggard-faced young fellow who, as he rightly guessed, had been the chief cause of the failure of his own suit. Captain Mulgrave’s good-humored amusement over the discovery of the young people together woke in him, therefore, no responsive feeling. Before they were well in the room, Freda had slipped out of it, through the door by the fireplace, and was making her way up to the outer wall. Dick was at first inclined to be annoyed at the interruption; but when Captain Mulgrave explained the object of his visit and that of his companion, the young man’s joy at the project they came to suggest was unbounded. This was the setting up of himself to farm the land, for the benefit of his aunt, to whom it had been left for life.
“Mr. Thurley is a connection of hers and wishes to see some provision made for her. So, as I felt sure you would be glad to do your best for her too,” continued Captain Mulgrave, “and as you have some knowledge of farming, I suggested setting you up in a small way as farmer here, and extending operations if you proved successful. How would that meet your views?”