But Betty was as lively as ever, bustling about with every one, and looking out for the chance of groats, which the better off might be free with. And over the kneading-pan next day, she dropped three and sixpence out of her pocket; and Lizzie could not tell for her life how much more might have been in it.
Now by this time I had almost finished smoking that pipe of tobacco, and wondering at myself for having so despised it hitherto, and ****** up my mind to have another trial to-morrow night, it began to occur to me that although dear Annie had behaved so very badly and rudely, and almost taken my breath away with the suddenness of her allusion, yet it was not kind of me to leave her out there at that time of night, all alone, and in such distress. Any of the reapers going home might be gotten so far beyond fear of ghosts as to venture into the churchyard; and although they would know a great deal better than to insult a sister of mine when sober, there was no telling what they might do in their present state of rejoicing. Moreover, it was only right that I should learn, for Lorna's sake, how far Annie, or any one else, had penetrated our secret.
Therefore, I went forth at once, bearing my pipe in a skilful manner, as I had seen Farmer Nicholas do; and marking, with a new kind of pleasure, how the rings and wreaths of smoke hovered and fluttered in the moonlight, like a lark upon his carol. Poor Annie was gone back again to our father's grave, and there she sat upon the turf, sobbing very gently, and not wishing to trouble any one. So I raised her tenderly, and made much of her, and consoled her, for I could not scold her there; and perhaps after all she was not to be blamed so much as Tom ***gus himself was. Annie was very grateful to me, and kissed me many times, and begged my pardon ever so often for her rudeness to me.
And then having gone so far with it, and finding me so complaisant, she must needs try to go a little further, and to lead me away from her own affairs, and into mine concerning Lorna. But although it was clever enough of her she was not deep enough for me there; and I soon discovered that she knew nothing, not even the name of my darling; but only suspected from things she had seen, and put together like a woman. Upon this Ibrought her back again to Tom ***gus and his doings.
'My poor Annie, have you really promised him to be his wife?'
'Then after all you have no reason, John, no particular reason, I mean, for slighting poor Sally Snowe so?'
'Without even asking mother or me! Oh, Annie, it was wrong of you!'
'But, darling, you know that mother wishes you so much to marry Sally; and I am sure you could have her to-morrow. She dotes on the very ground--'
'I dare say he tells you that, Annie, that he dotes on the ground you walk upon--but did you believe him, child?'
'You may believe me, I assure you, John, and half the farm to be settled upon her, after the old man's time;and though she gives herself little airs, it is only done to entice you; she has the very best hand in the dairy John, and the lightest at a turn-over cake--'
'Now, Annie, don't talk nonsense so. I wish just to know the truth about you and Tom ***gus. Do you mean to marry him?'
'I to marry before my brother, and leave him with none to take care of him! Who can do him a red deer collop, except Sally herself, as I can? Come home, dear, at once, and I will do you one; for you never ate a morsel of supper, with all the people you had to attend upon.'
This was true enough; and seeing no chance of anything more than cross questions and crooked purposes, at which a girl was sure to beat me, I even allowed her to lead me home, with the thoughts of the collop uppermost. But I never counted upon being beaten so thoroughly as I was; for knowing me now to be off my guard, the young hussy stopped at the farmyard gate, as if with a brier entangling her, and while I was stooping to take it away, she looked me full in the face by the moonlight, and jerked out quite suddenly,--'Can your love do a collop, John?'
'No, I should hope not,' I answered rashly; 'she is not a mere cook-maid I should hope.'
'She is not half so pretty as Sally Snowe; I will answer for that,' said Annie.
'She is ten thousand times as pretty as ten thousand Sally Snowes,' I replied with great indignation.
'Oh, but look at Sally's eyes!' cried my sister rapturously.
'Look at Lorna Doone's,' said I; 'and you would never look again at Sally's.'
'Oh Lorna Doone. Lorna Doone!' exclaimed our Annie half-frightened, yet clapping her hands with triumph, at having found me out so: 'Lorna Doone is the lovely maiden, who has stolen poor somebody's heart so. Ah, Ishall remember it; because it is so queer a name. But stop, I had better write it down. Lend me your hat, poor boy, to write on.'
'I have a great mind to lend you a box on the ear,' Ianswered her in my vexation, 'and I would, if you had not been crying so, you sly good-for-nothing baggage.
As it is, I shall keep it for Master ***gus, and add interest for keeping.'
'Oh no, John; oh no, John,' she begged me earnestly, being sobered in a moment. 'Your hand is so terribly heavy, John; and he never would forgive you; although he is so good-hearted, he cannot put up with an insult.
Promise me, dear John, that you will not strike him;and I will promise you faithfully to keep your secret, even from mother, and even from Cousin Tom himself.'
'And from Lizzie; most of all, from Lizzie,' I answered very eagerly, knowing too well which of my relations would be hardest with me.
'Of course from little Lizzie,' said Annie, with some contempt; 'a young thing like her cannot be kept too long, in my opinion, from the knowledge of such subjects. And besides, I should be very sorry if Lizzie had the right to know your secrets, as I have, dearest John. Not a soul shall be the wiser for your having trusted me, John; although I shall be very wretched when you are late away at night, among those dreadful people.'