"How far up the beach at Ynysoer those breakers run! And the Rock
Bridge!--I wouldn't like to cross that to-night; but surely that was a
woman's figure crossing it now!" A sudden fear darted through his
mind, and dismounting, he climbed to the top of the turfy bank at the
side of the road to gain a better view of the coast. "Yes, a woman--a
girl, surely, and a graceful girl, wearing a scarlet cloak. She
carried her hat in her hand--not on her head, at all events. Surely it
was not Valmai in such a storm going over by such a dangerous path?
Probably a fisherman's wife or daughter!" But he gazed long and
steadily before he once more resumed his ride. In hot haste he rode
the rest of the way to Brynderyn.
"The storm is rising," said the "Vicare du," as he joined his son at
the tea-table.
"Yes," said the latter, pausing in his attack upon the roast fowl to
gaze at the clouds which scudded before the wind, "I expect it will be
a furious gale before midnight."
As soon as the meal was over he rose, and fixing his hat firmly on his
head, said: "I am going down to the beach to see the waves, father. If I am not
back to supper you won't be frightened?"
The old man muttered something about "folly to go out in such weather,"
as Cardo disappeared into the stone passage. Making his way down to
the beach, he found the storm raging fiercely, and, gaining the shelter
of a rock, he sat down to rest and think.
The sullen south-west wind moaned and shrieked as it rushed up the long
beach; it lurked in the hollows of the crags, and drove the sand and
foam before it. The Berwen looked yellow and muddy as it washed over
its stony bed. Above all came the roar of the breakers as they dashed
against the rocky sides of the island, which lay, a black mass, in the
seething water a few hundred yards from the shore.
He looked across the blinding spray of the waves and thought of his
boat; but no, no boat would live in such a sea; besides, what
ridiculous fear was this that haunted him?
At so great a distance as that between the road and the island it was
impossible that he could have distinguished Valmai from any other girl,
and what more natural than that one of the women living on the island
should be crossing the Rock Bridge.
"I must be a fool to have nervous fears like a silly girl. I daresay I
shall meet Valmai on the shore."
But he sought in vain for any sign of her, as she had sought him in the
morning. Indeed it was not likely that any tender girl would be out in
such a storm--and yet--"was it Valmai?"