"The 'Vicare du'?" said the old man, turning white with rage. "Do you
mean to say that his son has been the cause of this disgrace? I'll
thrash her within an inch of her life!" and he made a rush towards the
door.
"Sit down," said Shoni, taking him by the arm and pushing him back into
his easy-chair, "sit down, and calm yourself, before you stand up and
preach and pray for other people. Tis for yourself you ought to pray."
"True, Shoni, true. I am a miserable sinner like the rest, but don't
let me see that girl again."
"Put her out of your thoughts," said Shoni; "I'll see to her." And as
Valmai came silently down the stairs, he opened the front door for her,
and quietly took her basket from her.
"Well, howyr bâch!" said Gwen, looking after them, "there's attentions!
We'd better all walk in the wrong path!" and she banged the door
spitefully, and returned to the parlour to arrange her master's tea.
"And, now, where are you going to, my dear?" said Shoni kindly. "Will
you come to Abersethin? Jane, my sister, will give you lodgings; she
is keeping a shop there."
"No, no, Shoni," said the girl, "you are kind, indeed, and I will never
forget your kindness; but I will go to Nance, on the island; she will
take me in, I know."
"Will she?" said Shoni. "Then you could not go to a better place.
'Tis such lonesome place, the pipple will forget you there."
"Oh, I hope so," said Valmai; "that is all I desire."
"The tide will be down. We can get there easy, only 'tis very cold for
you."
"No, I like the fresh night-wind."
"Well, my dear," said Shoni, "I daresay your uncle will be shamed of
himself to-morrow, and will be wanting you to kom back. I will bring
the gig for you; 'tis a long walk."
"No, never, Shoni; I will never go back there again, so don't bring the
gig for me; but if you will kindly send my big box to the Rock Bridge,
I will send somebody across for it."
"'S' no need for you to do that. I will take it down to the shore on
the whilbare and row it over in Simon Lewis's boat. I will kom before
dawn tomorrow, then no one will know where you are. I'll put it out on
the rocks before Nance's house and carry it up to her door."
"Thank you, thank you, Shoni; but wouldn't tonight be better?"
"Oh, no; Sunday to-night," said Shoni, in quite another tone.
He waited until he saw Nance's door opened in response to Valmai's
timid knock, and then made his way back over the Rock Bridge at once
before the tide turned.