"Thank you kindly, sir, I know the way," answered Rolfe. "You had better get down here," he added, speaking to the serving-woman, and he lifted her to the ground; but she was stiff with her long journeyings, and would have fallen if he had not steadied her.
"Lack-a-day!" she exclaimed, "I hope this is the end of our journeyings. A poor place, and a lonely one! Why, man, we might be murdered up here and no one be any the wiser!"
"Have no fear; you will not be murdered," said Rolfe, and, taking the three horses by their reins, he led them away.
Patience had entered the house. Her face was very white, her eyes full of tears, as she stood inside the parlour door looking around her.
Agnes, when she saw her, sprang up.
"Patience, you never told me it was so beautiful! It is the loveliest little place I have ever seen."
"It is a very humble home," said Patience, "but it is home."
"I have never had a home before," said Agnes, "only big rambling palaces. I shall love this; it breathes of love." And, taking Jessie's hand, she said, "Take me, show me everything."
Jessie looked at her father. This impetuous young person was a revelation to them both; life was so still and calm at St. Mary's, for so the hamlet was called. A little way down the river there had once been a chapel, dedicated to the Virgin. It formed part of an old convent, but the convent and chapel had been destroyed in the time of Henry VIII; a few stones only remained to show where it had been, but the name of St. Mary's had remained to the hamlet.
"Well," said Agnes, "are you not going to show me anything?" And she frowned at Jessie.