“Well, then, go and tell her so.”
“Is it me? I dursn’t.”
“Do it at once,” said Jimmy. “It was you she asked, and it’s you that ought to answer her. Off with you now, and not another word out of your head.”
Bridgy, who saw no reason why she should face the wrath of Miss Blow, retired to a small room which opened off the scullery, and spent an hour cleaning her own boots. Miss Blow waited, and after a while got tired of waiting. She rang the bell again. Bridgy heard it, and, for greater security, went into the yard and concealed herself in the cow byre. Miss Blow came downstairs and found Jimmy O’Loughlin. He had not thought of hiding, and was caught unawares.
“Is Mr. Goddard in the hotel?” she asked.
“He is not,” said Jimmy. “It’s himself was sorry to go; but there came a messenger over from Ballymoy, a police sergeant, to say he was wanting, and wanting badly. It might be cattle driving that’s in it, or it might be a meeting about the land or maybe an eviction. They’re a queer lot down in them parts. Anyway, he was wanting, and he went.”
“It’s a curious thing,” said Miss Blow, “that he went off without saying a word to me.”
“Well, now,” said Jimmy, “if I amn’t the fool this day; but I thought Bridgy would be sure to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“The last words he said to me as he was getting up into the trap was these; ‘Jimmy,’ says he, ‘it goes to my heart to be leaving Miss Blow behind me, and her in trouble. She’ll never forgive me.’ ‘Believe you me,’ says I, striving to encourage him, for I could see he felt it, ‘she will.’ ‘She will not,’ says he. ‘Don’t I know she won’t?’ ‘She will,’ says I. ‘There isn’t a young lady ever I met with a better heart.’ ‘Will you tell her,’ says he, ‘that it was forced on me or I wouldn’t do it, not if you was to give me the full of my hat of golden sovereigns?’ ‘I’ll tell her,’ says I; ‘I’ll break it to her quiet and easy the way she won’t be feeling it.’ And, glory be to God, I have.”