The Little Missis Part 33

All this tension told upon her considerably. Phebe was quite certain she was not well, and she knew herself it was taking away her joy and breaking her peace. At last she pulled herself together, and decided she must carry the burden no longer. "It is too difficult a piece of work for me to do," she said to herself, "I must leave it all to G.o.d. If He wanted me to help in it He would have shown me the way. I'll just watch and see how He does it," and the joy and peace came back again.

If she had known of "63 Dutton Street," she would have seen the beginning of G.o.d's plans.

The knowledge soon came.

She was in the business early one morning, when all at once she felt impelled to whisper to Reynolds--

"Have you seen Ralph Waring again?"

Reynolds had no alternative but to answer "Yes."

"Did he come into the shop?"

Reynolds gave a solemn nod.

"Tell me all you know, Reynolds," she said, fixing her clear grey eyes on him; "don't keep anything back. I am quite prepared, for I feel sure all will come right."

And then Reynolds told her, first of all looking round to see if any one should be listening.

"He is staying at 63 Dutton Street," he whispered.

"63 Dutton Street!" she exclaimed, and then checked herself. "Why, that is where Mrs. Coates lives!" in a lower voice.

"Yes, he is lodging with her."

"Well! well!" She hardly knew what to say. Surely G.o.d had led Ralph there--but why?--why?

"Why? Why?" kept repeating through her brain as she went about her work.

That morning she received a letter from Bessie, in which that young lady said: "When are you coming to see me? Couldn't you come this afternoon?"

"Yes, I will," she said to herself. "Bessie's brain is younger than mine, and quicker. Perhaps she can tell me what I ought to do."

When Phebe knew of the intended visit, she said: "Well, I am glad! I do believe you are improving in your old age. Be sure and tell Bessie she has my permission to give you a good scolding for not going sooner."

"How little she dreams of what my real errand is!" whispered Nanna to herself. "I wonder if I am doing right in not telling her! But surely if I can keep trouble from her that is right! Surely she has suffered enough through Ralph Waring already without having any more! She thinks he is dead--'tis better so." And with that a.s.surance she started on her journey.

"You blessed one!" exclaimed the excitable Bessie; "I have a good mind now you are here to lock you up like lavender, and never let you back again. Now I am going to get a high-style tea ready. If only I had been quite sure you were coming I would have bought a whole red-herring--they are the most economical things going, you only need one; you hand it all round the table, and each guest rubs his, or her, bread with it, and each one has all the delight of seeming to eat a whole bloater. However, as it is, we must stretch to sardines this time. David!"--peeping into the shop--"I'm not coming into the shop any more to-day, so if you can't manage to sc.r.a.pe along without me, you can put up the shutters at once."

"You see, Mrs. Colston," said David, "she is just the same Bessie as ever."

"Well, I never!" exclaimed Bessie, "if that isn't rich! Did you expect I should turn into somebody else?--say Polly Spriggs, or the d.u.c.h.ess of Marlborough!--which would you have preferred?"

But David had fled back into the shop.

It was during tea Nanna told her story--always the time for confidences.

"We had such a strange customer in the other day, Bessie. Guess who it was!"

"Was it one of the high levellers, or one of the low levellers?"

"He looked like one of the low levellers, as you call them; but he used to be----" Nanna's hands trembled so much she almost dropped her cup.

Bessie was quick to notice this. "Dear Mrs. Colston," she exclaimed, "you have some bad news to tell me! What is it?--Do tell me quickly!"

"The customer was Ralph Waring."

"Ralph Waring! And does the Little Missis know--did she see him?" and Bessie started up from her chair in her excitement.

"No; I want your advice. Reynolds has found out that he is lodging at 63 Dutton Street. Just fancy that!"

"63 Dutton Street!" repeated Bessie, quite bewildered.

"Yes; with Mrs. Coates. You know Mrs. Coates. Do you think I ought to tell her?"

"Tell Mrs. Coates?"

"No--the Little Missis, as you call her."

"Of course not. If his lordship does not choose to make himself known, why should you trouble her about him? She has had enough trouble with him already--at least, I think so."

"That is just how I have been thinking."

"Oh, dear, dear! Whatever in the world did he need to turn up again for!

I wish to goodness I could run away with him, that I do!"

"What is that you are saying?" exclaimed David, looking in from the shop, with quite a dramatic expression on his face. "Who is it you are wanting to elope with now? I really must know!"

Amid both laughter and tears Nanna explained the situation.

"Well, if she can manage to run away with him," said David magnanimously, "I am quite willing. But how can you work it, my sweet queen Bess?"

"Ah, that's the difficulty," she sighed. "I shall have to put my thinking cap on."

"There is no doubt he is very ill," said pitying Nanna; "he has a dreadful cough."

"A consumptive cough?" asked David.

"Yes."

"Then may G.o.d help him! I know what that means. My father died of consumption in Warley Hospital."

"I have it!" exclaimed Bessie, "let's get him into Warley Hospital! At least he would be some distance away, and would be better treated than in lodgings. Oh, yes, I'll manage to run away with him after all, you see if I don't! I'll call and see Mrs. Coates, and if I hear her lodger cough, I'll offer to get him an indoor letter for Warley Hospital. I'll not show myself at all, of course. Mrs. Coates shall do the real elopement work; I'll only superintend."

CHAPTER XXVI