They breathed rather than spoke their thankfulness and relief, the miller's eyes being moist as he turned aside to calm himself; while Anne, having first jumped up wildly from her seat, sank back again under the almost insupportable joy that trembled through her limbs to her utmost finger.
'I've come from Spithead to Pos'ham,' the sailor continued, 'and now I am going on to father at Budmouth.'
'Ah!--I know your father,' cried the trumpet-major, 'old James Cornick.'
It was the man who had brought Anne in his lerret from Portland Bill.
'And Bob hasn't got a scratch?' said the miller.
'Not a scratch,' said Cornick.
Loveday then bustled off to draw the visitor something to drink.
Anne Garland, with a glowing blush on her face, had gone to the back part of the room, where she was the very embodiment of sweet content as she slightly swayed herself without speaking. A little tide of happiness seemed to ebb and flow through her in listening to the sailor's words, moving her figure with it. The seaman and John went on conversing.
'Bob had a good deal to do with barricading the hawse-holes afore we were in action, and the Adm'l and Cap'n both were very much pleased at how 'twas done. When the Adm'l went up the quarter-deck ladder, Cap'n Hardy said a word or two to Bob, but what it was I don't know, for I was quartered at a gun some ways off. However, Bob saw the Adm'l stagger when 'a was wownded, and was one of the men who carried him to the cockpit. After that he and some other lads jumped aboard the French ship, and I believe they was in her when she struck her flag. What 'a did next I can't say, for the wind had dropped, and the smoke was like a cloud. But 'a got a good deal talked about; and they say there's promotion in store for'n.'
At this point in the story Jim Cornick stopped to drink, and a low unconscious humming came from Anne in her distant corner; the faint melody continued more or less when the conversation between the sailor and the Lovedays was renewed.
'We heard afore that the Victory was near knocked to pieces,' said the miller.
'Knocked to pieces. You'd say so if so be you could see her. Gad, her sides be battered like an old penny piece; the shot be still sticking in her wales, and her sails be like so many clap-nets. we have run all the way home under jury topmasts; and as for her decks, you may swab wi' hot water, and you may swab wi' cold, but there's the blood-stains, and there they'll bide. . . . The Cap'n had a narrow escape, like many o' the rest--a shot shaved his ankle like a razor. You should have seen that man's face in the het o' battle, his features were as if they'd been cast in steel.'
'We rather expected a letter from Bob before this.'
'Well,' said Jim Cornick, with a smile of toleration, 'you must make allowances. The truth o't is, he's engaged just now at Portsmouth, like a good many of the rest from our ship. . . . 'Tis a very nice young woman that he's a courting of, and I make no doubt that she'll be an excellent wife for him.'
'Ah!' said Mrs. Loveday, in a warning tone.
'Courting--wife?' said the miller.
They instinctively looked towards Anne. Anne had started as if shaken by an invisible hand, and a thick mist of doubt seemed to obscure the intelligence of her eyes. This was but for two or three moments. Very pale, she arose and went right up to the seaman.
John gently tried to intercept her, but she passed him by.
'Do you speak of Robert Loveday as courting a wife?' she asked, without the least betrayal of emotion.
'I didn't see you, miss,' replied Cornick, turning. 'Yes, your brother hev' his eye on a wife, and he deserves one. I hope you don't mind?'
'Not in the least,' she said, with a stage laugh. 'I am interested, naturally. And what is she?'
'A very nice young master-baker's daughter, honey. A very wise choice of the young man's.'
'Is she fair or dark?'
'Her hair is rather light.'
'I like light hair; and her name?'
'Her name is Caroline. But can it be that my story hurts ye. If so--'
