"And you are both united under may roof? and are man and wife?"
"Yes. Oh, uncle, don't be angry! It was not our own doing. It was
Providence who sent him back to me from the storm and fog. Don't be
angry."
"Angry, child!" said the old man, almost lifting himself up in his bed;
"why Ay'm tarnished if anything so jolly ever happened in may laife
before. And to think we have dodged the old father! and the old uncle!
Why, that must be Essec!" and this discovery was followed by a burst of
rumbling laughter, which set Valmai more at her ease.
"But never mind who he is, here you are, and here you shall be happy.
Ay'll take your parts, may dears. Ay'll see that nothing comes between
you any more."
"And you will keep our secret, uncle, until Cardo comes back?"
"Of course, child. We mustn't tell anyone, for fear it will get round
to the old father's ears. Bay the bay, who is he?"
"Mr. Wynne, the Vicar of the parish, the 'Vicare du' they call him,
from his black looks."
"The 'Vicare du!'" said the captain, "why! he is rolling in money!
You've done a tidy little job for yourself, may gel, and your old Uncle
John will befriend you."
Here Mrs. Finch opened the door, and, with a sniff, said, "The
gentleman's come back, and he wants to know can he see Miss Powell?"
The captain fell into another fit of laughter, while Mrs. Finch stared
at him in astonishment.
"Tell him to come up," he said, at last, "you gaping old gudgeon, what
you standing staring there for? Send Mr. Wynne up. Tell him the lady
is here, and Ay want to see him."
In a few moments Cardo bounded up, three steps at a time, but not
without fears as to the effect of Valmai's revelation, for she had
whispered to him as she had let him out at the front door: "I am going up to tell him now."
"Well Ay never!" said the Captain, with pretended severity; "how dare
you show your face to me after stealing may lil gel from under may very
nose? Come here, you rascal, and shake hands over it! Wish you joy,
may dear fellow! And the lil one, where is she? Come here, you lil
fool! What are you hiding there for? Come and put your hand in your
husband's. There now! that's something like it. And God bless you.
So you're husband and wife, are ye?" looking critically from one to the
other. "Well, ye're a jolly good-looking pair! And so ye're married,
are ye?"
"With your permission, sir," said Cardo, laughing, "and with your
blessing upon us. I am so thankful to feel I shall not be leaving
Valmai without a friend when I sail."