'I wonder if he'll mind it less or more as he gets older,' she
thought; 'I'm afraid more. Aged people feel the miss of children: what
would father do without Priscilla? And if I die, Godfrey will be
very lonely- not holding together with his brothers much. But I
won't be over-anxious, and trying to make things out beforehand: I
must do my best for the present.'
With that last thought Nancy roused herself from her reverie, and
turned her eyes again towards the forsaken page. It had been
forsaken longer than she imagined, for she was presently surprised
by the appearance of the servant with the tea-things. It was, in fact,
a little before the usual time for tea; but Jane had her reasons.
'Is your master come into the yard, Jane?'
'No 'm, he isn't,' said Jane, with a slight emphasis, of which,
however, her mistress took no notice.
'I don't know whether you've seen 'em, 'm,' continued Jane, after a
pause, 'but there's folks making haste all one way, afore the front
window. I doubt something's happened. There's niver a man to be seen
i' the yard, else I'd send and see. I've been up into the top attic,
but there's no seeing anything for trees. I hope nobody's hurt, that's
all.'
'Oh, no, I daresay there's nothing much the matter,' said Nancy.
'It's perhaps Mr Snell's bull got out again, as he did before.'
'I wish he mayn't gore anybody, then, that's all,' said Jane, not
altogether despising a hypothesis which covered a few imaginary
calamities.
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