Patience had no
scruples about previous love and courtship. That was not the point
as she answered--
"Thank you, Master Luck, you are very good; but I cannot leave my
brothers."
"Let the big one get a wife of his own then," and, as Patience shook
her head, and glanced at where Ben, shy of strangers, was cutting
rushes, "and if you be tender on the young one, there would be work
for him about the place. I know you have been a good mother to him,
you'd be the same to our little ones. Come, Andrew, can't ye say a
word for yourself?"
"Come, Patience, do 'ee come!" pleaded poor Andrew, and the tears
even sprang to his eyes. "I'd be very good to thee, and I know thou
would'st be to my poor babes."
Patience's heart really warmed to him, and still more to the babes,
but she could only hold out.
"You must find another," she said.
"Come, you need not be coy, my lass," said the old miller. "You'll
not get a better offer, and Andrew has no time nor heart either for
running about courting. What he wants is a good wife to cheer him
up, and see to the poor little children.
Pages:
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260