It was a look which she understood. ‘Sir Frederick Pinkerton need be under no apprehension,’ she replied, gazing steadily into his eyes. ‘I have not forgotten my part of the bargain. That which I have promised I will perform.’
The Baronet bowed a little stiffly, and strolled slowly back towards Mrs Bowood.
‘Don’t you think, Aunt Laura,’ said Lucy, ‘now that Dolly is so smart, I might take her to church with me? If it’s good for me to go to church, it must be good for Dolly.’
But Lady Dimsdale heard her not. ‘My promise! Yes, whatever it may cost me, I must not forget that.’ She kept repeating the words to herself again and again.
Lucy, for once, finding her chatter unheeded, made a pillow of one arm for her doll, laid her head against Lady Dimsdale’s knee, and two minutes later was fast asleep.
Along one of the winding pathways came Oscar Boyd, dusty with the dust of country roads, but bright and happy-looking as the day. ‘Good-morning, Mrs Bowood.—Good-morning, Sir Frederick.—Any news, Captain?’
‘We thought that some one had run away with you,’ said his hostess, as she extended her hand. ‘What have you been doing with yourself all this time?’
‘We have been over the hills and far away, Miss Lucy and I. Our object was strawberries and cream at the Meadow Farm.’ He gave a quiet glance round. ‘Laura not here?’ he said to himself.
‘Strawberries and cream. Humph!’ remarked the Captain. ‘S. and B. far better on a morning like this. Come now.’
Oscar had discovered Lady Dimsdale’s whereabouts by this time, and crossed towards her.