CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.
Peggy's faith was justified, for though the way was long, and thecurrent often swept him aside, Rob struggled on gallantly until, afterwhat seemed an interminable period of suspense, his friends saw himclamber into the boat as she lay on the sandbank. Then for some minutesthere was no movement, and though it was to be expected that he wouldneed a rest after his exertions, the faces on shore began to lengthen astime passed by, and brought no sign of an advance.
"I don't know how he is going to move her now that he _is_ there! Robis strong enough, but one man is little use in a boat of that size. Howcan he expect to row her back alone?"
"Against the tide, too! He would wear himself out, and make noprogress. I expect he recognises that by this time, and will notattempt it. It would not help us much to see him carried away."
"He cannot be in a condition to do much pulling, poor fellow! He mustbe pretty well played out. I'm afraid after all it has been a waste ofenergy."
"Rob would not have gone if he had not had some plan in his head. Healways thinks before he acts. He would never have risked his life toget to the boat if he had no means of moving her," said Peggy proudly;and even as she spoke a simultaneous exclamation of delight went up fromthe watchers, as the end of a sail flapped in the breeze. They were attoo great a distance to distinguish the mast, but all had noticed itspresence in the bottom of the boat as they rowed out to the island, andnow realised in a flash its value under the circumstances. Rob wouldhave no struggling with the oars, he would trust to the sail to carryhim back, and so experienced a yachtsman might be trusted to make themost of the opportunity. Arthur tossed his cap into the air, andshouted aloud in pure gladness of heart. Though he had tried to makethe best of the situation, he had been oppressed by dread, and eachmoment, as it passed, had seemed to bring with it some fresh possibilityof disaster. The fishermen might not return from their regatta untilthe following day; the flymen might not be able to organise a search;the weather might change, and turn to rain or wind. The very thought ofthe consequences of a night spent on the island made him grind his teethin despair, while Rob's hazardous expedition had appeared a veritablelast straw. But now, in a moment, everything was changed; what beforehad seemed a hopeless, almost criminal attempt, had become practicalcertainty, as, borne by the friendly sail, the boat drew nearer andnearer to her goal. Rob's figure could now be plainly discerned, andpresently even his face was distinguishable as he waved backacknowledgments of the cheers sent to him across the water. Half-a-dozen eager hands were waiting to help with the boat as she ran ashore,and there he stood, the water dripping from his clothes, his hairruffled into a veritable mop of dark brown curls, his face beaming withpleasure and triumph.
"Got her at last!" he gasped. "Got her at last! Bundle in! Bundle in!We'll catch our train yet. I'll give you a hand with the hampers." Hehad no thought for his own drenched condition, but Arthur shook himaffectionately by the shoulders and cried:
"You'll do nothing of the kind! We have still ten minutes to sparebefore we need start, and you'll just come apart with me and have a goodrub down! You have done your share of the work. Let the others lookafter the hampers."
"And you shall have a cup of tea--a good hot cup the moment you areready for it!" cried Mrs Bryce, nodding her cheery head in hisdirection. "You are a hero, Mr Darcy, and you shall write your name inmy autograph volume as a reward for valour. This is the first adventureI've ever had, and I shall brag about it all the rest of my life."
"And so shall I!" affirmed Mellicent truthfully. "Only I wish I hadswum out myself. It's stupid having an adventure when you are not thehero." But Peggy said only three short words: "Thank you, Rob!" andpressed his fingers in an eager grip.
Ten minutes later they had left the island, and Rob was pulling at theoars as vigorously as if he felt no fatigue from his previous exertions.Truth to tell, he did not, for the mind has a more powerful influenceover the body than many of us suspect, and the last hour had revealed asecret which made it seem impossible ever again to feel tired ordiscouraged. Peggy loved him! The doubts of the past weeks had beenbut ugly dreams, and he was awake once more, and in the sunshine.Throughout the drive to the station and the railway journey home, hekept intentionally apart, not trusting himself to speak to her in thepresence of strangers; but if he seemed neglectful, Arthur abundantlymade up for his absence by hanging lovingly round his little sister, andwaiting upon her with a persistency which seemed to betray some innerremorse. At last, as they were left together for a few minutes at theend of the corridor carriage, his discomfort forced itself into words,and he said uneasily:
"I feel as if I had neglected you, Peg, and thought too little of you inthe midst of my excitement. If any one had told me that we should be indanger, and that my first thought would not be of you, I should haveknocked him down for his pains, but--but you saw how it was, and youcan't be more astonished than I am myself! I never thought I was thatkind of fellow. Can you understand how a man could be so weak andfickle as to believe himself in love with one woman, and then suddenlydiscover--"
"I can understand that a man might believe that he had found his idealin one place, and discover that he had made a mistake, and that inreality it was waiting for him somewhere else; and I call that open-minded and enlightened--not in the least weak or fickle!" cried Peggy inreply; whereat Arthur smiled at her with kindly eyes.
"You nice little dear!" he said. "How refreshing it is to hear one'sconduct described in the right terms! You are a prejudiced judge, Ifear, Peg, but I like your verdict. Don't leap to conclusions now inyour usual impetuous fashion, and believe that everything is settled,because it isn't, and won't be for a long time to come. I will not pay_her_ the poor compliment of seeming to regard her as a solace for theold disappointment. I will wait and work, and try to make myself moreworthy of her, and then if she will allow me, I'll try to pay her back alittle for all she has done for me. There's a good time coming, Peg!Yes, yes, I feel it! Some day I shall look back, and see that all thedisappointments I have had to bear have worked together to bring you tothe place where I should meet the greatest blessing of my life. So now,Peggikins, I have made my confession, and I don't know that I shouldhave done it even to you, but that my conscience upbraided me for havingtreated you shabbily to-day."
"But bless your innocent heart, I knew it long ago. So did Mrs Asplin,so did mother. So did every one with a head on his shoulders. Youcan't go about _staring_ at a person, and keeping your eyes _glued_ on aperson, and looking as if you could never take your eyes _off_ a personwithout attracting _some_ attention among intelligent onlookers, mylove! Now, now at this very moment while you are talking to me you aretwisting your head over your shoulder and trying to see what--"
But at this Arthur fled precipitately to the other end of the carriage,and Peggy laughed softly to herself, not without a sigh of relief athaving escaped any reproaches on her own account. Her eye followed thedear, handsome fellow, and her heart swelled with thankfulness at thethought that his troubles seemed indeed to be drawing to an end and abrighter day dawning before him. There was little doubt what Eunice'sanswer would be when the right time came, while Mr Rollo's enthusiasticappreciation of Arthur seemed to promise that he also would be pleasedto welcome him into his family.
"And he will help Arthur on, as he can do so well, and he will becomefamous and celebrated, as we always knew he would. I shall see him yet,my own brother, with every one crowding around and doing him honour!"she cried to herself in a little rapture of delight, for old dreams diehard, and she had not yet outgrown the regret for the scarlet coat, theplumed hat, the array of medals at the breast.
When the train stopped at the quiet station, a fly and two dog-cartswere in waiting to convey the travellers to their homes, but theprofessor and Esther elected to walk, and then the unexpected happened,for, as Peggy was preparing to drive with the rest, Rob's big figureloomed suddenly beside her, and his voice said:
> "We will walk, too, Peggy!" and Peggy turned without a word and walkedaway by his side. Her little face looked very white in the moonlight,and the meekness with which she had agreed to his command was so unusualthat Rob looked down at her with an anxious scrutiny.
"You sha'n't walk all the way," he said, "only just as far as thevicarage, then you can take Mellicent's seat, but I wanted to have youto myself for a few minutes first. I want to speak to you."
"And I to you. Oh, Rob, I have not thanked you half enough, and yet Iwant to scold you too. When I asked you to help me, I never meant for amoment that you should risk your own life--"
"I know that, Peg; but it was not so great a risk as you think, for I amalmost as much at home in the water as on land, and even if my strengthhad given out, I could have floated ashore with the tide. It was wellworth risking, after what you told me."
"Ah, yes, you have saved Mrs Asplin a terrible experience. You mayhave saved her life--and think how much that means to every one whoknows her! You couldn't have a better reward, Rob."
"I have pleased you, Peggy!" said Rob simply. He made no protestation,but Peggy understood all that the words implied, and her heart beat fastwith happiness. They had taken the path across the fields, followingthe lead of the lovers, whose figures could be seen ahead like two darkshadows, flitting through the trees, and after these words of Rob's theywalked in silence until the first stile was reached. Rob was over inone spring, for his long legs found no difficulty in leaping so low abarrier, but Peggy made three steps of it, and in the last of the threefound her way blocked by a tall, black figure. Rob's hands claspedhers, Rob's eyes looked into her face, and Rob's voice cried with atremor of nervousness in the deep tones:
"Is this _my_ Peggy? Does she belong to me?"
"Yes, Rob, always! She always did; but you--you didn't trust her,"replied Peggy, with a firmness which ended in a sob. "You took forgranted--"
"Peggy, I didn't!" cried Rob earnestly. "Don't think so poorly of me.I know to what you refer--that afternoon in the library--and now I canexplain all that has troubled you. I had a talk with Hector after youleft, and we discovered that we both wanted the same thing. He thoughthe had the first claim, and that it was my duty to stand aside until hehad had his chance, and I agreed that he was right. Not because he wasthe older! I would not have acknowledged such a plea in this matter,but because he had so much more to offer you. Compared to myself he isa rich man, and you would have been better off with him. I promised tostand aside and put no obstacle in his way, and having given a promise Itried to keep it unselfishly, and to show you that I cared for yourhappiness before my own by remaining friendly and pleasant."
Peggy's grimace of disfavour was an eloquent comment. "I hated yourpleasantness!" she said tersely. "I hated your friendship! I wantedyou to be furious, and rage, and storm, and demand an explanation. Youmade me very wretched with your `pleasantness,' I can tell you that!"
"Not half so wretched as I made myself. I wouldn't live through thelast month again for any inducement you could offer; but you are notaltogether free from blame yourself, for you have no idea what a littlepoker of dignity you have been to me all the time. Only to-day, whenyou asked my help, my own little Peggy came back, and then in the trainHector gave me a hint of what had happened. Poor old fellow, it's roughon him, but I can't pity him as I ought, for I am so outrageously happy!Partners, Mariquita! We are going to be partners all our lives. Itseems too good to be true! I shall have to give up all thought ofjourneys to unknown lands; but, thank goodness! work seems to open outmore and more at home, and we will be as happy as sandboys in a littlehome near your parents, working together and helping one another as wecan do so well."
"We will! We will! You shall supply the facts, and I will write themup. You do write such commonplace English, dear--not one bitpicturesque! Wait until I have worked up your articles for you; youwon't know them, they will be so altered!"
"I believe you there!" said Rob demurely; but Peggy was launched on thestream of eloquence, and oblivious of sarcasm.
"Oh, oh! It will be lovely!" she cried. "We will have the dearestlittle house, with a study for you, and a study for me, and a garden,and a pony cart, and a conservatory, and immaculate servants who doeverything they should do, and never need looking after. And we willtrot about together, and work and play, and do everything just exactlyas we like, and have no one to order us about. Think of it! We shallbe master and mistress--no one can interfere--no one can find fault. IfI forget all about dinner some fine day, there won't be a soul who willhave the right to blame me, or fly into a temper."
"Oh, won't there just! Don't make any mistake about that!" cried Rob."If you forget your duties, you will have me to reckon with, and I amnot too amiable when I'm hungry. It will be my business to help you toovercome your failings, just as it will be yours to help me with mine."
"You haven't got any," said Peggy quickly. "At least--I mean, yes, youhave--lots--but I like them. They will keep mine company. No,seriously, Rob, I'll try to be good. I made up my mind to-day that ifyou came back safe, I would try with all my strength to be a bettergirl, and overcome my careless ways. And now I have more reason thanbefore to persevere. I'll begin at once, and try so hard that by thetime we are married I shall be quite a staid, responsible housewife."
"Humph!" said Rob in ungrateful fashion. "Don't try too hard. I don'twant my Peggy altered out of recognition. There are thousands of staid,responsible housewives in existence, but Peggy Savilles are rare. Iprefer her of the two."
"And yet you want to be rid of her! Poor, dear, little thing! If youget your way, she won't be in existence much longer. How can you makeup your mind to be so cruel?"
"I shall love Peggy Darcy better," said Rob firmly, and at that Peggygave a gulp and relapsed into silence. Peggy _Darcy_! The name broughtwith it a dozen thrilling reflections. Rosalind's sister, Hector'ssister, daughter to Lady Darcy, and the dear, kind old lord, and, oh,most wonderful of all, Rob's wife! His partner for ever, in the truestsense of the word! The sound of that eloquent word had thrilled throughRob also, and silenced the word on his lips. His clasp tightened onPeggy's fingers, and they walked hand in hand through the fieldstogether, in a blissful trance of happiness which has no need forspeech.
When the vicarage gates were reached the carriage was already in sight;but Peggy hung back, and Rob called a passing direction to the coachmanto stop on his way back after leaving Mellicent at the door. Neither henor Peggy felt inclined to encounter even the oldest of friends in thefirst flush of their happiness, but they stood together watching thescene which greeted the return of the travellers, and rejoicing in theease of mind which they had been instrumental in securing.
The door opened, and the light of the lamps streamed out into thedarkness. They saw the figure of the Vicar standing upon the threshold,and that of his wife by his side: they saw Esther and Mellicent run upthe steps, and the mother's arms stretched wide to receive them; thenthe door shut once more, and the light died out. The moonlight seemedcold and wan after that bright ray, but not so cold as it had beenbefore, for some of the atmosphere of love and kindness for which thathome was famous seemed to have escaped through the open door, and warmedthe hearts of those who looked on.
"If we can make a home like that, Peg, we shall never be poor, howeverlittle money we may have to spend. We shall have found the greatesttreasure the world can give," said Rob softly; and "Amen!" sighed PeggySaville beneath her breath.
THE END.
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