“My brother! Oh, no, you don’t understand, Mr. Challice! That is the reason. Nick is not my brother!
“He is my dear, dear friend and my lover, and we were to have been married in a little while. Oh, my Nick, my darling Nick! I shall never be the wife of any man but you.” And with that she laid her pretty head down on the table and sobbed fit to kill herself.
There was nothing for me to say after that! I felt terribly cut up over it, you may be sure, but ’tweren’t her fault and ’tweren’t mine. It was a misfortune, and I had to bear it as best I could. But all my thoughts ran, as how I could best comfort her, and that brought me to think of my sister Margaret.
I told her all the story, just as if she’d been my mother instead of my sister, and I brought her to see Nan, and when she took my poor gal in her arms and kissed her, I knew she’d do by her as she would have done by me.
Well, it was getting on for Christmas by that time, and, as ill luck would have it, Christmas Eve was the very day fixed for Nick to sail from England in the convict ship.
That was a nice Christmas Eve for all of us. My heart was well nigh broken by the thought that Nan would never be more to me than a friend, and hers was the same at parting with Nick.
She had been allowed to see him more than once, whilst he was in gaol, and she had been terribly upset on each occasion, but it was nothing to the day when she had to say good-bye to him for the last time. Margaret got leave to accompany her to the prison, for she thought she ought to have a friend with her at such a trying moment, and she was right.
“Good-bye, my darling!” cried Nick, straining Nan tight in his arms. “Remember! I am innocent. And when I have served my time I will send for you, and we will begin a happier life in the Colonies as man and wife.
“Be brave, Nan, as you have always been. This is a terrible trial, but we did not bring it on ourselves. And it is such a comfort for me to think I leave you in the care of this dear, good woman, and that you will have a good home and protection during my absence.”
“Yes,” said my sister Margaret, “you need have no fear on that score, Nick. Nan will remain in the Children’s Hospital working under me, until she has gained sufficient experience to take a higher position. But you may rest assured she will never want for food or clothes or occupation so long as she behaves herself. And that I’ll warrant she means to do.”