One of the children stirred and uttered a little wailing sound.  She stepped lightly to the bedside, bent for a moment, saw that all was well again, and came back on tip-toe.  The simple duty had quieted her throbbing heart.  She seated herself as before.

‘What about the country house now?’ said Richard.

‘I don’t know what to say.  It’s more than I can take into my head.’

’You’re not going to say, like mother did, that it was the worst piece of news she’d ever heard?’

‘Your mother said that?’

Emma was startled.  Had her thought passed lightly over some danger?  She examined her mind rapidly.

‘I suppose she said it,’ Richard explained, ’just because she didn’t know what else to say, that’s about the truth.  But there certainly is one thing I’m a little anxious about, myself.  I don’t care for either Alice or ’Arry to know the details of this windfall.  They won’t come in for their share till they’re of age, and it’s just as well they should think it’s only a moderate little sum.  So don’t talk about it, Emma.’

The girl was still musing on Mrs. Mutimer’s remark; she merely shook her head.

’You didn’t think you were going to marry a man with his thousands and be a lady?  Well, I shall have more to say in a day or two.  But at present my idea is that mother and the rest of them shall go into a larger house, and that you and Kate and Jane shall take our place.  I don’t know how long it’ll be before those Eldon people can get out of Wanley Manor, but as soon as they do, why then there’s nothing to prevent you and me going into it.  Will that suit you, Em?’

‘We shall really live in that big house?’

’Certainly we shall.  I’ve got a life’s work before me there, as far as I can see at present.  The furniture belongs to Mrs. Eldon, I believe; we’ll furnish the place to suit ourselves.’

‘May I tell my sisters, Richard?’

’Just tell them that I’ve come in for some money and a house, perhaps that’s enough.  And look here, I’ll leave you this five-pound note to go on with.  You must get Jane whatever the doctor says.  And throw all that sewing out of the windows; we’ll have no more convict labour.  Tell Jane to get well just as soon as it suits her.’

‘But—­all this money?’

’I’ve plenty.  The lawyer advanced me some for present needs.  Now it’s getting late, I must go.  I’ll write and tell you when I shall be home again.’

He held out his hand, but the girl embraced him with the restrained tenderness which in her spoke so eloquently.

‘Are you glad, Emma?’ he asked.

‘Very glad, for your sake.’

‘And just a bit for your own, eh?’

‘I never thought about money,’ she answered.  ’It was quite enough to be your wife.’

It was the simple truth.

CHAPTER VI