"Surely I will," said Mr. Humphreys, who had come in while she was speaking. "Wait but one moment."
In a moment he came back ready, and he and the woman set forth to their walk. Alice looked out anxiously after them.
"It storms very hard," she said "and he had not had his tea! But he couldn't wait. Come, Ellen, love, we'll have ours. How will he ever get back again? it will be so deep by that time."
There was a cloud on her fair brow for a few minutes, but it passed away, and, quiet and calm as ever, she sat down at the little tea-table with Ellen. From her face all shadows seemed to have flown for ever. Hungry and happy, she enjoyed Margery's good bread and butter, and the nice honey, and from time to time cast very bright looks at the dear face on the other side of the table, which could not help looking bright in reply. Ellen was well pleased, for her part, that the third seat was empty. But Alice looked thoughtful sometime as a gust of wind swept by, and once or twice went to the window.
After tea, Alice took out her work, and Ellen put herself contentedly down on the rug, and sat leaning back against her. Silent for very contentment for a while, she sat looking gravely into the fire; while Alice's fingers drove a little steel hook through and through some purse silk in a mysterious fashion, that no eye could be quick enough to follow, and with such skill and steadiness, that the work grew fast under her hand.
"I had such a funny dream last night," said Ellen.
"Had you? what about?"
"It was pleasant, too," said Ellen, twisting herself round to talk "but very queer. I dreamed about that gentleman that was so kind to me on board the boat you know? I told you about him?"
"Yes, I remember."
"Well, I dreamed of seeing him somewhere, I don't know where and he didn't look a bit like himself, only I knew who it was; and I thought I didn't like to speak to him for fear he wouldn't know me, but then I thought he did, and came up and took my hand, and seemed so glad to see me; and he asked me if I had been pious since he saw me."