“Oh, John, he—Dr. Bacup thinks this sleep he is in is coma. He has scarcely roused since I left him last night, and it may be that he will not again. But if he does—you must see that I cannot stay!”
“Of course. You’ll send me word. And particularly if you should need me, my love! Remember, you are mine now! No one can harm you in any way, and it will be very much the worse for anyone who tries to! Oh, confound that gate!” He kissed her hands, and released them. “I must go. Bab will take you to your horse. But tell me one thing more! Is your cousin still abed?”
“No, I believe not. I have not seen him, however. Don’t be afraid he will tease me! I am always in my own or Grandpapa’s rooms, and Winkfield has forbidden Henry to come into that wing. Since he knocked him down, Henry is a great deal too much afraid of him to make the attempt!”
He was obliged to go, for the shouts from the gate were becoming exasperated; and when he was able to return, Mr. Babbacombe had just come back from escorting her to where she had tethered her horse.
The rest of the day passed without incident. Mr. Babbacombe did not leave the toll-house until dusk, when he returned to the Blue Boar for dinner; and although he would have gone back to sit chatting to John after this repast, he was not allowed to do so, since John expected to see Chirk as soon as it was dark, and did not feel that he would take kindly to the presence of a stranger.
But it was not, after all, until past midnight that John heard the owl’s hoot. He set the door wide, and, as Chirk led Mollie through the wicket, said: “I had given you up! What the deuce kept you so late?”
“That ain’t a question as you should ask a cove of my calling, Soldier!” retorted Chirk.
“Well, stable the mare, and come into the house!”
In a few minutes, Chirk entered the kitchen. He threw his hat on to a chair, but removed his greatcoat with noticeable care. This did not escape the Captain’s eye. “Winged?” he enquired.
“Just a flesh wound,” acknowledged Chirk, with a rueful grin. “That’s what made me late. It ain’t so easy to stop one arm bleeding, when you’ve only t’other to work with. Besides, it made a mess of my coat, so I loped off to have things set to rights. What’s the lay tonight?”