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The river flowed lazily beneath the pollard willows, as if complaisant enough to let these see their reflection in the water. Forget-me-nots jewelled the banks; ragged robin looked roguishly from, clumps of bushes; the scent of hay seemed to fill the world. That was then. Now ! Before she had set out for Durley Road, she had penned a little note to Perigal.
She also took an acute interest in bricks that were either built into houses, or heaped upon the roadside. She was proudly convinced there were no bricks that could compare with the one she prized for finish or durability. Perigal was much diverted and, perhaps, touched by her interest in his possible source of success.
She was surprised at her helplessness and was inclined to criticise it impersonally, the while Perigal plunged her wounded hand into the water. Her reflections were interrupted by a sharp pain caused by the contact of water with the torn flesh. "It's better than blood poisoning," he hastened to assure her. "I believe you do it on purpose to hurt me," she remarked, upon his freeing her hand.
She learned how Mr and Mrs Trivett had given up Pennington Farm and were now living in Melkbridge, where Miss Toombs had heard that they had a hard struggle to get along. Miss Toombs mentioned several other names well known to Mavis; but she did not speak of Charlie Perigal. It was a long time before Mavis slept that night.
They must have known us by our uniforms to be English, but they had no idea we were their own shipmates. I guessed this by hearing Macquoid say to Bobus "Who can they be? Some poor fellows whose vessel must have gone down in the hurricane." "Hand them up carefully, now," said Perigal to the men who descended into the boat.
It's the prize-money, the booty, keeps me afloat. I am an arrant buccaneer at heart." "I should not have supposed you that," said I. It was now evening, and old Perigal had his glass of grog before him. On these occasions he was always somewhat communicative. "I've been married six years or more," he continued in a half whisper.
"He hit me, sir;" "He kicked the boy Bluff," we both exclaimed in the same breath. "I must have you both up before the captain, and ascertain who is the culprit," said Mr Lukyn. "Master-at-arms, take these young gentlemen into custody." I, on this, represented that I had been sent on a message to Mr Perigal, and was allowed to go and deliver it.
The clamourings of Mavis' ardent nature had been so long repressed, that the disturbing influences of her passion for Perigal were more than sufficient to loose her pent up instincts. Her lover's kisses proved such a disturbing factor, that, one evening when he had been unusually appreciative of her lips, she had not slept, having lain awake, trembling, till it was time for her to get up.
Fortunately, the inn had a spirit licence, so Mavis sipped the stuff that Perigal brought her, to feel better at once. She then soaked a piece of biscuit in the remainder of the brandy, to force it down Jill's throat. Next, she turned to Perigal. "Have you had any?" she asked. "What do you think?" "I don't know how to thank you for saving Jill's life." "Rot!"
Presently, when the rain stopped, Mavis came away feeling mentally refreshed. As is usual with those in trouble, she applied anything pertinent she read or heard about sorrow to herself. The fact of her intercourse with Perigal having been in the nature of deadly sin did not trouble her so much as might have been expected.
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