“Rees only means,” he put in with his quiet little mincing voice, “that he thinks he has a chance of a berth in London at a good salary.”
“Yes, yes; in London, that’s it,” assented Rees quickly.
“In London,” cried Mrs. Pennant. “Oh, I should like to live in London again; nothing would please me better.”
Rees and Sep both grew suddenly subdued and reticent.
“I—I don’t know whether that could be managed, mother dear, until my position was more secure. You see I—I—in fact, I’m not sure at all about it yet, you know.”
“I don’t want to force your confidence, my son, since I see there is some little surprise intended for me. But if it is any situation which depends on talent and a good appearance,” she went on proudly, “I have no fear for you.”
Rees turned the subject in a tremulous voice. He loved his mother, and thought of her continually throughout this enterprise, now congratulating himself that he might be able to support her in the comfort and luxury which he considered to be the only suitable surrounding for her, now trying to stifle the knowledge that she would look upon this secret search with the most violent disapproval.
So he took Sep off to the stable-yard to hunt for a second spade, a piece of rope, and for an old lantern which Rees knew to be lying about there. They found it, rubbed it up, and put a piece of candle in it. Unfortunately, one of the glass sides was broken, but they thought that this would not matter.
At tea, Rees was preternaturally gay, Sep unusually silent. Soon afterwards, on pretence of going to Mrs. Kemp’s, they left the drawing-room; and taking with them the spade, the rope, and the lantern, slipped through a little door in the wall at the bottom of the garden, and made for the ruins.
It was unusually dark, for the grey clouds were thick in the sky and the rain was still falling. Outside the castle walls, under the trees on the west side, Amos Goodhare, a gaunt figure shivering in the damp, was waiting. Very few words were exchanged between them, for their plan of action was already settled. Then Rees left the other two, and going round to the castle gates, pulled the bell which summoned the custodian.