‘’T is a bad thing,’ went on the farmer, ‘for to hurt a woman’s feelin’s in the beginning of acquaintance; it makes a bad start, d’ ye see? It do rouse up notions as they’d maybe never ha’ thought on if they was n’t crossed in the beginning. Now my poor mother—your grandmother, Richard—she did have sich tender feelin’s there was no livin’ in th’ house wi’ her. And my father—ah, I’ve heard ’en tell the tale many a time—he did always set it down to his not havin’ been careful to keep the right side o’ her when they was a-coortin’. ’Twas this way, d’ ye see? My father was a bit of a buck in his day, an’ a’most up to the time when he had his banns put up wi’ my mother he liked to have his fling, d’ye see? He’d walk o’ one Sunday wi’ one maid, and the next maybe he’d go along wi’ another; and the third maybe he’d go a-fishin’, and there’d be my poor mother wi’ her best bonnet on all the time a-lookin’ out for ’en so anxious. And she got that upset in her feelin’s, and that nervous, ye know, that she was n’t the better for it all her life after. Ah, I’ve heard my father say often when she’d scratched his face for him, or thrown his hat into the wash-tub, “’T is my own fault,” he ’d say, “I did n’t use to consider her feelin’s as a young ’un, and her feelin’s is a-comin’ agen me now.”’
Isaac shook his head slowly over this affecting reminiscence, and restored his pipe to its favourite corner. Richard said nothing for a moment, but presently turned towards his uncle with a smile.
‘Don’t you be afraid, Uncle Isaac. Mrs. Fiander’s temper is perfect, I am sure. I was entirely in fault to-day, and I will promise most faithfully not to do anything which might disturb your peace of mind in future.’
Though he spoke with assumed lightness, there was an earnest look in his eyes.
CHAPTER VI
Some friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then heigh, ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly!Shakespeare.
When Sunday came round Isaac Sharpe surprised his nephew by inviting him to accompany him on his usual visit to Littlecomb.
‘I don’t think you want me,’ said Richard, colouring and hesitating; ‘I should only be in the way. Two are company, and three are none, you know.’
‘Nay now, ’t is a silly notion that. “The more the merrier,” I say. Besides, I have particular reasons for wanting you to come to-day. You and Mrs. F. have n’t met since that night as ye ’polygised, have ye?’
‘No,’ said Richard.