After a moment’s thought he determined to tell the wife, and informed her and Fanny that he had seen Carry over at Pycroft Common. The mother’s questions as to what her child was doing, how she was living, whether she were ill or well, and, alas! whether she were happy or miserable, who cannot imagine?
“She is anything but happy, I fear,” said Mr. Fenwick.
“My poor Carry!”
“I should not wish that she should be happy till she be brought back to the decencies of life. What shall we do to bring her back?”
“Would she come if she were let to come?” asked Fanny.
“I believe she would. I feel sure that she would.”
“And what did he say, Mr. Fenwick?” asked the mother. The Vicar only shook his head. “He’s very good; to me he’s ever been good as gold. But, oh, Mr. Fenwick, he is so hard.”
“He will not let you speak of her?”
“Never a word, Mr. Fenwick. He’d look at you, sir, so that the gleam of his eyes would fall on you like a blow. I wouldn’t dare;—nor yet wouldn’t Fanny, who dares more with him than any of us.”
“If it’d serve her, I’d speak,” said Fanny.
“But couldn’t I see her, Mr. Fenwick? Couldn’t you take me in the gig with you, sir? I’d slip out arter breakfast up the road, and he wouldn’t be no wiser, at least till I war back again. He wouldn’t ax no questions then, I’m thinking. Would he, Fan?”
“He’d ask at dinner; but if I said you were out for the day along with Mr. Fenwick, he wouldn’t say any more, maybe. He’d know well enough where you was gone to.”
Mr. Fenwick said that he would think of it, and let Fanny know on the following Sunday. He would not make a promise now, and at any rate he could not go before Sunday. He did not like to pledge himself suddenly to such an adventure, knowing that it would be best that he should first have his wife’s ideas on the matter. Then he took his leave, and as he went out of the house he saw the miller standing at the door of the mill. He raised his hand and said, “Goodbye,” but the miller quickly turned his back to him and retreated into his mill.
As he walked up to his house through the village he met Mr. Puddleham. “So Sam Brattle is off again, sir,” said the minister.
“Off what, Mr. Puddleham?”
“Gone clean away. Out of the country.”
“Who has told you that, Mr. Puddleham?”
“Isn’t it true, sir? You ought to know, Mr. Fenwick, as you’re one of the bailsmen.”
“I’ve just been at the mill, and I didn’t see him.”
“I don’t think you’ll ever see him at the mill again, Mr. Fenwick; nor yet in Bullhampton, unless the police have to bring him here.”
“As I was saying, I didn’t see him at the mill, Mr. Puddleham, because I didn’t go in; but he’s working there at this moment, and has been all the day. He’s all right, Mr. Puddleham. You go and have a few words with him, or with his father, and you’ll find they’re quite comfortable at the mill now.”
“Constable Hicks told me that he was out of the country,” said Mr. Puddleham, walking away in considerable disgust.
Mrs. Fenwick’s opinion was, upon the whole, rather in favour of the second expedition to Pycroft Common, as she declared that the mother should at any rate be allowed to see her child. She indeed would not submit to the idea of the miller’s indomitable powers. If she were Mrs. Brattle, she said, she’d pull the old man’s ears, and make him give way.
“You go and try,” said the Vicar.
On the Sunday morning following, Fanny was told that on Wednesday Mr. Fenwick would drive her mother over to Pycroft Common. He had no doubt, he said, but that Carry would still be found living with Mrs. Burrows. He explained that the old woman had luckily been absent during his visit, but would probably be there when they went again. As to that they must take their chance. And the whole plan was arranged. Mr. Fenwick was to be on the road in his gig at Mr. Gilmore’s gate at ten o’clock, and Mrs. Brattle was to meet him there at that hour.
XXVIII
Mrs. Brattle’s Journey
Mrs. Brattle was waiting at the stile opposite to Mr. Gilmore’s gate as Mr. Fenwick drove up to the spot. No doubt the dear old woman had been there for the last half-hour, thinking that the walk would take her twice as long as it did, and fearing that she might keep the Vicar waiting. She had put on her Sunday clothes and her Sunday bonnet, and when she climbed up into the vacant place beside her friend she found her position to be so strange that for a while she could hardly speak. He said a few words to her, but pressed her with no questions, understanding the cause of her embarrassment. He could not but think that of all his parishioners no two were so unlike each other as were the miller and his wife. The one was so hard and invincible;—the other so soft and submissive! Nevertheless it had always been said that Brattle had been a tender and affectionate husband. By degrees the woman’s awe at the horse and gig and strangeness of her position wore off, and she began to talk of her daughter. She had brought a little bundle with her, thinking that she might supply feminine wants, and had apologised humbly for venturing to come so laden. Fenwick, who remembered what Carry had said about money that she still had, and who was nearly sure that the murderers had gone to Pycroft Common after the murder
