She took a long look at the baby, who lay with flushed face on Nance's
knees, and ran with all speed across the Rock-Bridge, from which the
tide was just receding, up the straggling street of Abersethin, and
through the shady lane, which led to the doctor's house.
There was great peering and peeping from the kitchen window, as Valmai
made her progress between the heaps of straw in the farm-yard to the
back door, which stood open. The doctor's wife, who had her arms up to
her elbows in curds and whey, looked up from her cheese-tub as she
appeared at the door.
"Dear me, Miss Powell! Well, indeed, what's the matter?"
"Oh, it's my baby, Mrs. Hughes! Can Dr. Hughes come with me at once?"
"There's a pity, now," said Mrs. Hughes; "he is gone to Brynderyn. Mr.
Wynne is not well. Grieving, they say, about his son."
Valmai blushed, and Mrs. Hughes was pleased with her success.
"When will he be back, d' you think?"
"Not till evening, I'm afraid. But there's Mr. Francis, the
assistant--shall I call him? he is very clever with children. Here he
is. Will you go with Miss Powell, to see--h'm--a baby which she is
taking a great interest in on Ynysoer?"
"Yes, certainly," said the young assistant, colouring, for he had heard
Valmai's story, and never having seen her, was now rather bewildered by
her beauty, and the awkwardness of the situation.
"Oh, thank you; can you come at once?" said Valmai.
"At once," said the young man. "Is the child very ill?"
"Indeed, I hope not," said Valmai; "he is very flushed and restless."
"Whose child is it?"
"Good-bye, Mrs. Hughes. It is mine," she added, in a clear voice, as
they left the kitchen door together.
"Wel, anwl, anwl! there's impidence," said one of the servants, looking
after them. "It is mine! As bold as brass. Well, indeed!"
"Yes, I must say," said her mistress, with a sniff, "she might show a
little more shamefacedness about it."
"There's a beauty, she is," said Will the cowman, coming in.
"Beauty, indeed!" said the girl. "A pink and white face like a doll!"
"Her beauty has not done her much good, whatever," said Mrs. Hughes, as
she finished her curds and dried her arms.
Meanwhile Valmai and the doctor were walking rapidly down the lane to
the shore.
"Dan, will you take us across?" said Valmai to a man who stood leaning
against the corner of the Ship Inn.
"With every pleasure, miss fâch; you've been out early," he said, as he
pushed out his boat, and, seeing the doctor--"if you please, miss, I
hope there's nobody ill at Nance's?"
"Yes," said Valmai, hesitating, "the little one is ill."