Steadfast especially missed the
girl. Perhaps it was due to the King's gibes that her absence fully
opened to him the fact that he knew not how to do without her. After
his usual fashion, he kept the discovery to himself, not even talking
to Patience about it, being very shamefaced at the mere thought,
which gave a delicious warmth to his heart, though it made him
revolve schemes of saving up till he had a sufficient sum, with which
to go to the squire and propose to meet him half-way in rebuilding
the old house; not such an expensive matter as it would be in these
days. There, in full view of all that passed down Elmwood Lane,
Emlyn could not complain of solitude, he thought! But there was this
difficulty in the way, that Jephthah had never resigned his claims as
eldest son, and might come home at any time, and take possession of
all the little farm at which Steadfast had worked for seven years.
The war was over, and nothing had been heard of Jeph, except the
king's apocryphal history, since his visit after the taking of
Bristol.
Pages:
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244