The first object she saw straight before her was Mr. Beauchamp, who was standing in the midst of the little parlour of the cottage, talking to the poor boy, Billy Lamb, while Mrs. Lamb and Stephen Gimlet were placed near the wide cottage hearth.
The moment that Miss Slingsby's face appeared, Beauchamp turned from the boy, saying,
"Here are the ladies themselves. Now go home, my good boy; and if your master is angry at your absence, tell him I will explain all to him. My dear Miss Slingsby, I am delighted to see you and your fair cousin. The boy says you wish to speak with Captain Hayward. He is in the room above. I will tell him immediately;" and, after shaking hands with both of the ladies, he turned away and went upstairs.
Mary whispered eagerly with Isabella; and Stephen Gimlet touched his mother-in-law's arm, as he saw that there was evidently a good deal of agitation in their fair visitors' manner, saying,
"Come, Goody, it wont give you cold, I dare say, to walk out for a bit with me. They'll want to talk together," he added, in a low voice, "and if it's cold we'll go into the little vestry of the church."
The old woman looked towards the back-room, where the child was sleeping; but Stephen answered her, ere she spoke, whispering,
"No, no, we should hear it all there."
Goody Lamb put her shawl over her head, while he took down the key of the church; and Mary's eye catching their movements, she said,
"Only for a few minutes, Mrs. Lamb. I should like to speak with you when we have said a few words to Captain Hayward."
Mrs. Lamb dropped a courtesy, and went out with her son-in-law; and the next moment, a slow step was heard coming down the stairs.