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And mother were so fond o' Philip; but he kept something from me as would ha' made me a different woman, and some one else, happen, a different man. I were troth-plighted wi' Kinraid the specksioneer, him as was cousin to th' Corneys o' Moss Brow, and comed back lieutenant i' t' navy last Tuesday three weeks, after ivery one had thought him dead and gone these three years. She paused.
Sylvia made many a promise to her mother, and more to herself, that she would not stay late at the party, but she might go as early as she liked; and before the December daylight had faded away, Sylvia presented herself at the Corneys'. She was to come early in order to help to set out the supper, which was arranged in the large old flagged parlour, which served as best bed-room as well.
An' their mother were no better: Kinraid has spoken civil to Bessy as became a lad to a lass, and she makes an ado over him as if they'd been to church together not a week sin'. 'I dunnot uphold t' Corneys; but Molly Corney as is Molly Brunton now used to speak on this dead man to our Sylvie as if he were her sweetheart in old days.
And mother were so fond o' Philip; but he kept something from me as would ha' made me a different woman, and some one else, happen, a different man. I were troth-plighted wi' Kinraid the specksioneer, him as was cousin to th' Corneys o' Moss Brow, and comed back lieutenant i' t' navy last Tuesday three weeks, after ivery one had thought him dead and gone these three years. She paused.
'Nay, I dunnot know, said she; 'the Corneys made us acquaint first, and my master is quite fain of his company. 'And do you like him, too, aunt? asked Hepburn, almost wistfully; he had followed Mrs. Robson into the dairy on pretence of helping her. 'I'm none fond on him; I think he tells us traveller's tales, by way o' seeing how much we can swallow.
But of this the latter was unconscious: they were not apt to exchange many words in the room which they occupied jointly. Coulson asked Philip if he had enjoyed himself at the Corneys', and Philip replied, 'Not much; such parties are noane to my liking. 'And yet thou broke off from t' watch-night to go there.
He either ha' made off an' then sure enough we should ha' heerd on him somehow them Corneys is full on him still and they've a deal to wi' his folk beyond Newcassel or, as my master says, he were just t' chap to hang or drown hissel, sooner nor do aught against his will. 'What did Sylvie say? asked Philip, in a hoarse low voice.
If Daniel wished for him to be alive again, it was mainly that the Corneys might be convinced that his last visit to the neighbourhood of Monkshaven was for the sake of the pale and silent Sylvia, and not for that of Bessy, who complained of Kinraid's untimely death rather as if by it she had been cheated of a husband than for any overwhelming personal love towards the deceased.
T' captain put off sailing for two or three days, that he might ha' that much law; but when he heard as Kinraid were not at Corneys', but had left 'em a'most on to a week, he went off to them Northern seas wi' t' next best specksioneer he could find.
He kept seeing the Corneys' kitchen and the scenes that had taken place in it, passing like a pageant before his closed eyes. Then he opened them in angry weariness at the recurring vision, and tried to make out the outlines of the room and the furniture in the darkness. When he recollected all that had happened the night before, it impressed him much more favourably than it had done at the time.
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