She was too restless, miserable, and anxious to sit doing nothing in Howard’s Buildings. So she wandered the streets quite indifferent to the gaze of the many flower girls who knew her, and quite oblivious to the feet that her picturesque dress and beautiful face called for loud admiration from more than one passer-by.
Tired out at last, she went home. She was glad that the long day had come to an end. Nat would soon be with her now, and the worst would be over. She sat down in the empty kitchen and waited; then was nothing whatever else for her to do. She had thought about the lost money, and about what she should say to Nat so often, that at last her tired brain refused to think any more about it. She held on now only to one instinct. She must shield her mother at any cost. If necessary, she must even go to the length of telling Nat that she had given her mother the money.
She had come to this resolve when a quick step was heard on the stairs outside. A gay whistle accompanied the step, and then a hand knocked with gentle insistence on one of the panels of the door.
Jill went at once to open it. Nat was standing outside. He had dressed himself with some care, and when Jill threw open the door and looked at him, he presented as fine a picture of a young English lad of the people as heart could desire. His curly hair was damp with exercise, his face was tanned with much exposure to the weather; his honest, well-opened eyes were as blue as the sky. He was a tall young fellow, too, with broad shoulders and a well-knit frame.
“Eh, Jill!” he exclaimed, “I thought you’d be in, and awaiting for me. I had no time to send yer word; but I guessed somehow as a little bird might whisper to yer as I’d be looking round.”
“Shall we go for a walk, Nat?” said Jill in a hasty voice. “I ain’t quite well. Shall we go and take a walk on the Embankment? It’s a fine evenin’, ain’t it?”
“Why in course; it’s a beautiful evenin’, sweet-heart. We’ll go out, ef you wish. But you has never given me a kiss, Jill. Don’t you want to?”
“Yes, Nat,” replied the poor girl. She took a sudden step forward, flung her arms round his neck, and placed her soft cheek against his. “I’d like to go out with yer,” she said then. “We can talk about kissin’ presently. I’m craving for the air.”
She wrapped a bright shawl round her head. Nat took her hand and they went down-stairs.
“Ef there’s anything as I must tell, it ’ud be easier out in the air,” she murmured to herself.