CHAPTER FOUR.
A MEETING.
One bright spring afternoon about a week after Ruth's visit to MissMaclure, Mollie went out to execute some shopping commissions, and onher way home took a short cut through the park, which was the greatsummer resort of the northern town in which her lot was cast.
She was an ardent lover of Nature, and it was a joy to see the tinygreen buds bursting into life on trees and hedges, and to realise thatthe long winter was at an end.
"Nasty, shivery, chilblainey thing,--I hate it!" said Mollie to herself,with a shiver of disgust. "It might be very nice if one had lots offurs, and skating, and parties, and fires in one's bedroom. People whocan enjoy themselves like that may talk of the `joys of winter,' but,from my point of view, they don't exist. Give me summer, and flowers ata penny a bunch! This dear old park and I have had many good timestogether. I think I have sampled most of the seats in my time!"
It was, indeed, a favourite summer custom of the Farrell girls to repairto a shady bench under a tree with such portable sewing as happened tobe on hand, for when the sun shone in its strength the temperature ofAttica was more like that of an oven than a room. The winding pathswere, therefore, familiar to Mollie; but they were apt to be puzzling tostrangers who, like herself, wished to take a short cut from one side ofthe park to another.
To-day as she approached the junction of four cross-ways, she saw beforeher the figure of an old man, glancing irresolutely from side to side,then turning round, as though in search of someone whom he could consultin his perplexity. Besides Mollie herself, there was no one in sight,so she quickened her pace and approached the stranger with the bright,frank smile which came so readily to her lips. Mollie was nothing ifnot sociable; she never lost a chance of talking if it came in her way;even to direct wandering old gentlemen was more amusing than nothing,and this one had such a curious old-world appearance!
"Can I help you?" she asked brightly; and the old man planted his stickmore firmly on the ground, and stared at her with grim disfavour.
"In what way, may I ask, do I appear to be in need of help?"
It was decidedly a snub, but some people are not easily quelled, andMollie Farrell was one of the number. Instead of being annoyed, she wassimply amused, and her grey eyes twinkled with mischief. He was a crossold dear, and proud too! quite amazed that anyone should suppose itpossible that he should need assistance of any kind.
"I'm sorry," she replied; "I thought you had lost your way, and that Imight be able to direct you. Please forgive me for seeming tointerfere."
She took a step forward, but the old man's eyes seemed to hold her back.He was looking at her fixedly beneath his heavy brows; such bushy,black eyebrows they were, and she fancied that the grim expressionsoftened for a moment as he replied--
"You are right. I _have_ lost my way! My cabman brought me to the parkgates, and as he said there was a direct path across, I thought I shouldlike the walk. As a result, I find myself completely out of myreckoning. It is a stretch of imagination to call this a direct path."
"Oh, it's direct enough when you know it," said Mollie easily, "ever somuch nicer than going round by the streets. It is a beautiful park, andwe are very proud of it. When the trees are in blossom, it is likefairyland--you can't imagine how beautiful it is."
"Possibly not," returned the stranger curtly. "In the meantime,however, there is nothing particularly alluring in the scene, and youwill excuse my reminding you that we are standing in a direct draught.I should be obliged if you could direct me to Langton Terrace withoutfurther delay."
Mollie laughed merrily.
"That is just what I have been waiting to do, but you would not tell mewhere you were bound. I am walking in that direction myself, and if youwill allow me I will show you the shortest cut. I know the park so wellthat I can dodge about from one path to another, and cut off some of thecorners. It is cold just here, but the cross-roads are sheltered evennow."
The stranger shrugged his shoulders, and said "Humph" in an incredulousmanner, and that was his sole reply in words. He turned, however, andwalked by Mollie's side, leaning heavily on his stick, and taking suchshort, laboured steps, that it was evident that the exercise was almosttoo much for his strength. Mollie longed to offer him the support ofher strong arm, but even her audacity failed at the sight of the grimface. She looked inquiringly at his feet, for the symptoms of temperall hinted to the explanation of gout. But no! there were no clothshoes to be seen, only the trimmest of well-polished boots.
"Perhaps he is just recovering from an attack, or sickening foranother," said Mollie to herself. "Anyway, he is ill, poor old fellow,for his face looks quite grey, just like that poor Mr Burgess before hedied. I expect he can't help being cross. I should be horrid myself ifI were always in pain. I remember that day I had on those new bootsthat hurt my feet, I quarrelled with Ruth all the way home... Thequestion is, shall I talk, or let him alone? If it were me, I'd like tobe amused, to make the time pass. I'll try anyway, and see how heresponds."
They had entered one of the smaller paths by this time, and to the rightlay the wide, grey surface of a lake dotted over by little islands, thelargest of which was connected with the shore by an ornamental bridge.Mollie felt a kind of possessive pride in the scene, and pointed out thebeauties thereof as eagerly as though she were the owner of all shesurveyed.
"It's the largest lake in any of the parks in the north; some people sayit is nearly as big as the Serpentine. I don't know, for I have neverbeen in London. In summer-time hundreds of men come and sail boats--quite great big boats--from side to side. It looks so pretty to see allthe white sails floating about in the sunshine."
"Indeed!"
("Doesn't care for boats. I'll try something else.") "Do you see thatbig island, the biggest of all?" pursued the indefatigable Mollie aloud."It is full of peacocks. There are dozens and dozens of peacocks! Youcan see them sometimes strutting about with their tails spread out, androosting right up in the trees. People say that peacocks are thelaziest birds in existence. They go to rest earlier, and get up laterthan anything else."
"Indeed!"
Still grimmer silence; still slower and more halting footsteps.Presently the stranger stopped short and asked abruptly--
"How far are we still from Langton Terrace? Five minutes' walk--tenminutes? We are more than half-way, I suppose?"
"Not quite, I am afraid. If you are tired, would you not rest on thisseat for a few minutes? It is really quite sheltered behind the trees.If you can tell me which end of the terrace you want to reach, it willmake a little difference in the way we ought to take. There are threeblocks of houses, which are all known by the same name. You wanted togo to--"
"Number 7," said the stranger; and sat down heavily upon the seat. Heleant both hands on his stick and rested his chin upon them, as thoughthankful for the support; and Mollie stood before him staring fixedly athis face.
Aquiline features, sharpened by suffering into yet finer lines, closely-set lips drooping out into lines of fretful impatience, sunken eyesbeneath overhanging brows. She studied them one by one, until, struckby her silence, the old man looked up in surprise.
"Number 7, I said. If you live in the neighbourhood, you may know thehouse, and possibly its inmates?"
"Yes, I know them all; they are nice people and very kind to me. I'veknown them quite a number of years."
"Mr and Mrs Connor have a large family, I believe--a number of youngchildren."
"Oh, dozens!" replied Mollie easily. She was enjoying herselfintensely, but trying to preserve an appearance of innocent calm. "Whatan adventure," she was saying to herself--"oh, what an adventure. Whatfun to tell it all to Ruth and the girls! I must remember every word,so as to repeat it in style!" Aloud, she added carelessly, "There aretwo girls, and lots of little boys. It seems as if there were boys,boys everywhere, wherever you turn all over the house; but they areubiquitous creatures, so perhaps there are not quite so ma
ny as itseems. They are handsome little fellows, and I believe clever too.Mrs Connor is a very pretty woman, and always kind and gentle.Everybody likes her. Mr Connor is nice too. I don't think he is atall strong, and he has to work very hard for that big family."
"Indeed!" The strange old man did not display the slightest sign ofsympathy for Mr Connor's anxieties. He relaxed his hold of the stick,and sank wearily against the back of the seat. "There are two step-daughters, I believe--the two Miss Farrells?"
"Ah!" exclaimed Mollie deeply. It was quite a tragic note, as whoshould say, "Now we are beginning to talk! Now, at last, we reach thereal point of the discussion! Just that deep `Ah,' and no more, untilperforce another question must be asked.
"You know the Miss Farrells also?"
"I do!"
"And find them as attractive as the rest of the family?"
"Oh, more--much more! They are darlings!" cried Mollie, with unction,"especially the younger. Her name is Mary, but they call her Mollie,because it suits her better. Don't you always imagine a Mollie verysweet, and charming, and attractive?"
"I can't say that I have devoted any attention to the subject. So Maryis the younger of the two, is she? And the elder?"
"Ruth! she's pretty and serious, and very, very nice; but Mollie isnicer, all the same. When you get to know them, you must promise tolike Mollie best, for my sake! I'm so fond of her, that I wanteverybody to be the same. I like her better than anyone I ever knew!"
The old man smiled grimly.
"You appear to be of an enthusiastic temperament; I fancy I shall preferto judge for myself when I make the young lady's acquaintance. We hadbetter be getting on now. I am sorry to hinder your progress, but it isnot possible for me to move more quickly at present. I should not haveattempted the walk if I had known that it was so long; but the cabjolted insufferably, and the sunshine was tempting. Well,--there isnothing for it but to make another effort!"
He pressed his hands on the seat to lighten the effort of rising, butbefore he had got any further, Mollie stepped forward eagerly, and laida hand on his shoulder. Her cheeks were flushed with colour, her eyesa-sparkle with excitement.
"Unless you will let me help you! ... I'm very strong; I could supportyou easily, if you would take my arm and lean on me. I'd love to do it.Do let me? Won't you,--_Uncle Bernard_?"