Dame Halliburt was a good housewife, and an active woman of business.
Every morning she was up betimes with breakfast ready for her husband
and sons waiting the return of the _Nancy_, and as soon as her
fish-baskets were loaded, away she went, making a long circuit through
the neighbouring country to dispose of their contents at the houses of
the gentry and farmers, among whom she had numerous customers. She
generally called at Texford, though, as Sir Reginald Castleton lived
much alone, she was not always sure of selling her fish there, and had
often to go a considerable distance out of her way for nothing. If Mr
Groocock, the steward, happened to meet her on the road he seldom failed
to stop his cob, or when she called at the house to come out and inquire
what was going on at Hurlston, or to gain any bits of information she
might have picked up on her rounds.
Maiden May had been for upwards of a year under her motherly care, when
one morning as she was approaching Texford with her heavily-loaded
basket, she caught sight of the ruddy countenance of Mr Groocock, with
his yellow top-boots, ample green coat, and three-cornered hat on the
top of his well-powdered wig, jogging along the road towards her.
"Good-morrow, dame," he exclaimed, pulling up as he reached her. "I see
that you have a fine supply of fish, and you will find custom, I doubt
not, at the Hall this morning. There are three or four tables to be
served, for we have more visitors than Sir Reginald has received for
many a day."
As he spoke he looked into the dame's basket, turning the fish with the
handle of his whip.
"Ah, just put aside that small turbot and a couple of soles for my
table, there's a good woman, will you? You have plenty besides for the
housekeeper to choose from."
"I will not forget your orders, Mr Groocock," said the dame; "and who
are the guests, may I ask?"
"There is Mrs Ralph Castleton and her two sons, the eldest, Mr
Algernon, who is going to college soon, and Mr Harry, a midshipman, who
has just come home from sea; a more merry, rollicking young gentleman I
never set eyes on; indeed, if the house was not a good big one he would
turn it upside-down in no time. There is also his sister, Miss Julia,
with her French governess, and Sir Reginald's cousins, the Miss
Pembertons. One of them, the youngest, Miss Mary they call her, is
blind, poor dear lady; but, indeed, you would not think so to see the
bright smile that lights up her face when she is talking, and few people
know so much of what is going on in the world, not to mention all about
birds, and creeping things, and flowers. The other day she was going
through the garden, when just by touching the flowers with her fingers
she was able to tell their colour and their names as well as the
gardener himself.
"Then there is a Captain Fancourt, a naval officer, a brother of Mrs
Ralph Castleton, and Mr Ralph Castleton himself is expected, but he is
taken up with politics and public business in London, and it is seldom
he can tear himself away from them."
"I suppose Mr Ralph, then, is Sir Reginald's heir," observed the dame.
"That remains to be seen," answered the steward. "You know Sir Reginald
has another nephew older than Mr Ralph, who has been abroad since he
was a young man. Though he has not been heard of for many years, he may
appear any day. The title and estates must go to him, whatever becomes
of the personalty."
"You know when I was a girl I lived in the family of Mr Herbert
Castleton, their father, near Morbury, so I remember the young gentlemen
as they were then, and feel an interest in them, and so I should in
their children."
"Ah! that just reminds me that you or your husband may do Master Harry a
pleasure. He has not been on shore many days before he is wanting to be
off again on the salt water, and who should he fall in with but Miles
Gaffin, who came up here to see me about the rent of the mill. Master
Harry found out somehow or other that Miles had a lugger, and nothing
would content him but that he must go off and take a cruise in her.
Now, between ourselves, Mrs Halliburt, I do not trust that craft or her
owner. You know, perhaps, as much about them as I do; your husband
knows more, but I think it would content the young gentleman if
Halliburt would take him off in his yawl, and he need not go so far from
the shore as to run any risk of being picked up by an enemy's ship."
"Bless you, Mr Groocock, of course Adam will be main proud to take out
Sir Reginald's nephew, and for his own sake will be careful not to go
far enough off the land to run the risk of being caught by any of the
French cruisers," answered the dame. "When would the young gentleman
like to come? He must not expect man-of-war's ways on board the
_Nancy_, and it would not do for Adam and the lads to lose their day's
fishing."
"As to that, he is not likely to be particular, and the sooner he can
get his cruise the better he will be pleased. It seems strange to me
that any one, when once he is comfortable on shore, should wish to be
tumbling about on the tossing sea. Though I have lived all my life in
sight of the ocean, I never had a fancy to leave the dry land. Give me
a good roof over my head, plenty to eat and drink, and a steady cob to
ride, it's all I ask; a man should be moderate in his desires, dame, and
he will get them satisfied, that is my notion of philosophy."
"Ah! and a very good notion too," said Mistress Halliburt, who had great
respect for the loquacious steward of Texford. "But you will excuse me,
Mr Groocock, I ought to be up at the Hall. I will tell Adam of Master
Harry's wish, and he will be on the look-out for him."
"Here comes the young gentleman to speak for himself," said the steward.
At that moment a horse's hoofs were heard clattering along the road, and
a fine-looking lad in a midshipman's uniform cantered up on a pony,
holding his reins slack, and sitting with the careless air of a sailor.
He had a noble broad brow, clear blue eyes, and thick, clustering, brown
curls, his countenance being thoroughly bronzed by southern suns and sea
air. His features were well formed and refined, without any approach to
effeminacy.
"Good-morrow, Mr Groocock," he exclaimed, in a clear voice, pulling up
as he spoke. "Good-morrow, dame," he added, turning to Mrs Halliburt.
"I was just speaking to the dame here about your wish, Mr Harry, to
take a trip to sea. Her husband, Adam Halliburt, has as fine a boat as
any on the coast, and he is a trustworthy man, which is more than can be
said, between ourselves, of the tenant of Hurlston Mill. Adam will give
you a cruise whenever you like to go, wind and weather permitting,
though, as the dame observed, you must not expect much comfort on board
the _Nancy_."
"I care little for comfort--we have not too much of that sort of thing
at sea to make me miss it," answered Harry, laughing. "If the dame can
answer for her husband, I will engage to go as soon as he likes."
"Adam will be glad to take you, I am main sure of that, Mr Harry," said
the dame. "But as the _Nancy_ will be ready to put off before I get
back, I would ask you to wait till to-morrow afternoon, when she will go
out for the night's fishing."
Harry, well pleased at the arrangement, having wished the dame good-bye,
accompanied Mr Groocock on his morning's ride.