Jenny Crow, with Mrs. Quiggin at Castle Mona, had not yet set eyes on Captain Davy, and Lovibond, with Captain Davy at Fort Ann, had never once seen Mrs. Quiggin. Jenny had said nothing of Lovibond to Nelly, and Lovibond had said nothing of Jenny to Davy.
Matters stood so when one evening Peggy Quine was dressing up her mistress’s hair for dinner, and answering the usual question.
“Seen Willie Quarrie, ma’am? Aw ‘deed, yes, ma’am; and it’s shocking the stories he’s telling me. The Capt’n’s making the money fly. Bowls and beer, and cards and betting—it’s ter’ble, ma’m, ter’ble. Somebody should hould him. He’s distracted like. Giving to everybody as free as free. Parsons and preachers and the like—they’re all at him, same as flies at a sheep with the rot.”
“And what do people say, Peggy?”
“They say fools and their money is quickly parted ma’am.”
“How dare you call anybody a fool, Peggy?”
“Aw it’s not me, ma’am. It’s them that’s seeing him wasting his money like water through a pitchfork. And the dirts that’s catching most is shouting loudest. ‘Deed, ma’am, but his conduct is shocking.”
“And what do people say is the cause of it, Peggy?”
“Lumps in his porridge, ma’am.”
“What?”