“Yes, indeed, you are welcome here,” she said; “and if you are content with this house, we shall be glad to have you remain in it. And I am sure Grace will do her best to make you at home, young lady,” she said, placing the girls’ hands in each other’s.
The captain, of course, had a great deal to do on his first arrival after a long absence, and could not, therefore, go in search of Mr Tom Heathfield, Walter’s cousin. Walter acknowledged that he was not likely to find him himself, as he had but seldom been in London, and did not know his way about. All he could tell was, that he lived somewhere in the West End, and he thought he belonged to two or three clubs.
“Very likely, young gentleman,” said the captain, laughing. “However, when I can get hold of one of those books they call Court Guides, I may be able to find him.”
A week passed pleasantly enough away. Grace was very kind to Emily, and Walter was never tired of walking about the docks, and watching the large ships loading and unloading the bales and casks of goods coming and going to all parts of the world. It gave him some idea of the vast amount of commerce of London, when such a stream of merchandise was coming in and going out all day long.
At length the captain told him that he had some hours to spare, and they set off together to try and find Mr Heathfield. They got down at Charing Cross, where a bookseller allowed them to look over a Court Guide.
“Yes, that must be my cousin,” said Walter, seeing the name. “I now remember going there with my father. Yes, and those are the clubs he belongs to.”
Having put down the address, the captain and Walter at once set off to find it. They were not long in getting there. A woman opened the door.
“Mr Heathfield is not in town; he seldom is at this time,” was the answer. “He may come up for a day, or he may not; but letters addressed here will find him.”
“But can you tell me where he is?” asked Walter. “I am a relation of his.”
“As to that, he may be at Newmarket, or some other races. You know he is a sporting gentleman, and is likely to be in one place one day and in another place another. But he sends for his letters, and, as I have told you, if you like to write, one will find him.”