“Mother,” he said, “you are looking well, and thankful I am to come back to you.”
“You’ve another mother now, Harry,” she said, gazing in his face, and the tears fell from her eyes.
“I shall not love you the less,” he answered, “though I had a dozen mothers.”
“There are more than her to share your love, Harry,” she replied.
“Well, mother,” he said, smiling, “I hope my heart is large enough for all.”
“That it is, I am sure, Harry,” she answered; “and I’ll not grudge what you give to others.”
Reginald had stayed outside the garden; when I looked out, I found that he had gone off home. Harry cast a wistful glance in the same direction; still he did not like to leave Susan in a hurry. She guessed what was passing in his mind.
“I mustn’t be keeping you here, Harry,” she said, “so do you go after Mr Reginald. Miss Fanny will be looking for you, and she won’t thank me if I keep you here. Now go, Harry, and bless you—bless you; my heart’s very happy at seeing you back, for I’m sure that all will turn out as we wish it at last. You’ve had a sore trial, but you acted rightly.”
Harry, having given Susan another embrace and shaken me warmly by the hand, bounded away after Reginald. I didn’t offer to accompany him, for, in truth, I could not have moved as fast as he did; but I followed at my leisure, as the captain had told Susan he wanted to see me as soon as I came on shore. As I got near the house, I caught sight of Harry and Miss Fanny in the shrubbery, and from what I saw he had no reason to doubt that she loved him as much as ever; and I am sure that she would not have met him as she did, unless she had had the captain’s leave to receive him as her intended husband. Mr Reginald reached the house, and got through the greetings with the captain and his mother, and other sisters. A very happy party they looked, for he had a good account to give of himself, though maybe he hadn’t quite as much to boast of as had Harry. From the way Harry was received when he at last made his appearance with Miss Fanny by his side, I felt sure that all was right.
I had afterwards a long talk with the captain. He told me that he was ready for a start as soon as Harry was at liberty. There was no time to be lost, for we could not tell what tricks Mr Biddulph Stafford might be playing in the meantime. As far as we knew, he had as yet no inkling of what had occurred; but he was deep and cunning, according to Jerry’s account, and would move heaven and earth, if his suspicions were aroused, to defeat our object. Some days, however, must pass before we could begin our journey, as Harry could not quit his ship till she was paid off. It was a question with us whether Mr Biddulph Stafford knew that his nephew had been saved when the ship went down, or had found out the name we had given him; if he did, he would soon learn that he had come home again, and might possibly be on the look-out for him, thinking, of course, that Harry was still ignorant of who he really was. This idea came into the captain’s head. He said that he thought it would be well to tell Harry, that he might be on his guard against any treacherous trick his uncle might endeavour to play him. I had not many fears on the subject; still I agreed that it would be better to be on the safe side.