He fancied all would come
right now, and that soon Mr. Holworth would be back, and he should be
able to give up his charge; and he went home, quite cheered up.
When he came into the gulley he heard voices through the bushes, and
pressing forward anxiously he saw Blane and Oates before the hovel
door, Patience standing there crying, with the baby in her arms, and
Rusha holding her apron, and an elderly man whom Stead knew as old
Lady Elmwood's steward talking to the other men, who seemed to be
persuading him to something.
As soon as Stead appeared, the other children ran up to him, and
Rusha hid herself behind him, while Patience said "O Stead, Stead, he
has come to turn us all out! Don't let him!"
"Nay, nay, little wench, not so fast," said the steward, not
unkindly. "I am but come to look after my Lady's interests, seeing
that we heard your poor father was dead, God have mercy on his soul
(touching his hat reverently), and his son gone off to the wars, and
nothing but a pack of children left."
"But 'tis all poor father's," muttered Stead, almost dumbfounded.
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