The Maidens of Walsingham - стр. 25
– … but my attorneys will carry on all the work I have begun in Walsingham. Please do not be anxious about the restoration of your church, as an architect, Mr. Pilough, will be arriving in your village today to inspect the building and draw up a plan for its restoration. The building materials will be brought to you after Mr. Pilough has estimated the cost of the project and sent me a report. All expenses will be taken care of by me. Mr. Glowford, I leave you my postal address in London, and if you, or your parishioners, have any difficulties, do not hesitate to contact me without fear of disturbing or embarrassing me. God bless you."
– What an honourable man our new landlord is!" whispered Catherine in her sister's ear. – He won't even charge us!
"What should he charge us? There isn't a cent in Walsingham!" – She thought mockingly, having learnt by experience.
– It's a pity he's gone," Christine said aloud to her sister.
– God sent him to us," she whispered again, believing in her own words.
– Maybe," Chris said briefly.
The people of Walsingham were overjoyed; they, like Kate, saw God's goodness in all that had happened, and fervently raised hymns in praise of God's goodness, and then prayed for the health of the noble, merciful and virtuous landlord.
The Glowford sisters returned home, and the parson remained in the church, to give grammar lessons. When the girls entered the house, they were horrified to find Cassie gone: her bed was empty.
– Oh, God, where is she? – Kate was worried. – She hasn't recovered yet! And her dresses are all here… And her shoes! She left in her nightdress and bare feet!
The sisters rushed out to look for Cassie and asked every person they could find about her, but none of them had seen Cassie and they all wondered why she had left home.
– I should never have left her! There's a reason she's been so cheerful since this morning! She decided to go for a walk! – Catherine exclaimed, chastising herself. – God forbid she should catch another cold!
Kate and Christine ran round the village, but they couldn't find their little sister. Terrified that Cassie was in trouble, Catherine prayed loudly and fervently.
– Wait… She asked me about the birds coming! – Christine suddenly remembered. – She could have gone to the abandoned mill! There are always lots of birds there!
The sisters ran to the old mill. Cassie was really there: she sat on a pile of dirty hay and listened to the birds singing with a happy face. She was very cold: her bare feet were stiff and muddy. Catherine hastily wrapped Cassie in her woollen shawl, put her clogs on sister feet, and remained barefoot. When Kate scolded her affectionately, Cassie was embarrassed, but said that the birds had called her to see their nests and she could not refuse them.
– Don't ever do that again, Cassie! We were so worried about you! – Christine said reproachfully to her sister as they went home.
At home Cassie's feet were washed, she was laid on a mattress and wrapped in a woollen biting blanket.
– What about London? You haven't changed your mind? – Catherine asked Chris when they sat down to lunch.
Lunch was hot wheat porridge with a slice of black bread.
At her sister's mention of London, the image of the handsome Count of Draymore immediately flashed into Christine's mind, and she suddenly felt even more offended at how freely he could travel around England, while she, a poor peasant girl, had no money even to travel to London. But in spite of everything, and especially now that the Count had gone there, London attracted Christine even more: a tiny hope of meeting the landlord grew in her heart.