Part 5 (1/2)
he added grimly.
Faith drew a long breath.
”And you were only fifteen! How awful!”
”Yes, it was pretty bad. I know I sat there beside him in the scorching sun and cried for half the day, till someone came along and took me home.”
”And--then?” she asked.
”Oh, I've roughed it in thousands of ways since then, and I'm tired of roughing it. That's why I want to get married.” His eyes softened as they looked at her. ”I think you and I will get on well together,” he said.
”Yes,” Faith a.s.sented. ”I think so, too.”
”And I'm to fix it up without your mother knowing, is that it?”
”Yes--if you--if you don't mind.”
He laughed. ”Bless your heart, it's not for me to mind! I'll get a special licence, and we can be married to-morrow.”
She caught her breath.
”To-morrow! Oh, it's too soon!”
”Too soon! What is there to wait for?”
”I shall have to tell them at Heeler's, and there's Peg....”
”That friend of yours? Well--tell her afterwards--when you tell your mother.”
Faith wavered. She would like to have told Peg, but she answered after a moment: ”Oh, very well, but--but not to-morrow!”
”Very well--on Sat.u.r.day, then--that gives you three days to fix things.”
”Thank you.”
His eyes wandered over her small person.
”Have you got any money?” he demanded.
”I get paid on Sat.u.r.day--two pounds.”
”Two pounds! Good heavens!”--he thrust a hand into his breast pocket, and brought out a bundle of notes. ”I'll give you twenty--buy some clothes and make yourself look pretty.”
Faith turned from red to white. She drew back when he would have put the money into her hands.
”I can't. Oh, I couldn't,” she faltered. ”Oh, I should be afraid----”
”Afraid!” He regarded her in amazement, and then, suddenly aware of the tears in her eyes, he added: ”Very well--I'll give you ten--is that better? And will that buy a frock?”
She laughed tremulously. ”Why, it will buy us all one--me and the twins--and lots of other things besides!”
She gathered up the money with shaking fingers. She was sure that she was dreaming. Even the touch of the crisp banknotes seemed unreal! What would her mother say? What would Peg say? Her head was in a whirl.