In a fortnight we were both ready to travel again. Sir James O’Connor had remained a week longer than he intended to have done at Chatham on our account. We now took leave of them, and having presented Virginia with five thousand pounds, which I had directed Mr Wilson to settle upon her, we parted, the O’Connors and Virginia for Leamington, and Bramble and I for Deal.
Chapter Fifty One.
Being the last chapter, the reader may pretty well guess the contents of it.
“Tom, do you know that I very often find myself looking about me, and asking myself if all that has happened is true or a dream,” said Bramble to me, as we sat inside of the coach to Dover, for there were no other inside passengers but ourselves. “I can’t help thinking that great good fortune is as astounding as great calamity. Who would have thought, when I would, in spite of all Bessy’s remonstrances, go round in that ship with you, that in the first place we should have been taken possession of by a privateer in the very narrows (he was a bold cruiser, that Frenchman)? After we were captured I said to myself, Bessy must have had a forewarning of what was to happen, or she never would have been, as I thought, so perverse. And since it has turned out so fortunately, I can’t help saying how fortunate it was that we did not allow her to persuade us; for had we not both gone, nothing could have been done. Well, I think we may promise Bessy this time when we meet her, that we will not trust ourselves to salt water again in a hurry. What do you think, Tom?”
“No; I think the best thing I can do is to marry, and live on shore,” replied I.
“Yes, Tom, that’s it. Give me your hand, you don’t know how happy you make me; we’ll all live together. But where shall we live? for the poor little cottage that I thought quite big enough for us a month ago will not do now.”
“We have plenty of time to talk that over, father. I love the cottage for many reasons; although, as you say, it is not large enough now for our means, or future way of living.”
“And I love it too, boy; I love to look out of the door and see the spot where my Bessy rescued me from death. God bless her! she is a noble girl, Tom, though I say it who—but I’m not her father, after all, and if I were, I would still say it.”