Nancy's thoughts were constantly with him, however, and when her work ended for the day, and she walked homeward across the hills to Braley Brook, she connected many an inanimate object she passed with some look or word of his. These looks and words had always been so kind, so gentle, that as the brook, where the forget-me-nots grew in summer, or the bank in the hollow where the primroses grew thickest in spring, or the fallen tree, which, as the weeks passed, would become golden with moss and lichen again--as all these would awaken to summer sunshine and gladness;--so would her heart. Fred's love for her--she felt sure he had loved her--was only hidden away like the flowers under the snow, to bloom forth again in spring. It was her winter, that was all, she told herself. She must wait as the flowers did.
When she reached home, her mind was filled with hope--hope which but too soon was to give place to despair. Last night Mrs. Forest had struck her--but then she had not looked nearly so angry as she did now when her daughter appeared before her.
"Where is my ten shillings?" she cried menacingly, as Nancy closed the kitchen-door behind her. "What have you done with it, you ungrateful, unnatural girl?" she repeated loudly.
"Indeed, mother, I know nothing of it," poor Nancy answered, trembling violently.
"Is it in that there teapot?" inquired the enraged mother, thrusting the article in question close to the frightened girl's face. Nancy glanced rapidly from the empty teapot to the chimney-piece.
"You needn't look there, you hussy," Mrs. Forest continued, seeing the direction Nancy's eyes were taking. "There's _nothing_ on the chimney-piece--the money's gone, and you've took it, because your father said you were to--it wasn't his to give--did he mend the sacks? tell me that! I'll have my money back--every halfpenny, so you'd better give it me before I make you."
"Mother, I have not touched it; I know nothing about it, really I don't," said Nancy desperately.
"What's that you've got in your hand?" demanded Mrs. Forest, catching sight of the parcel containing the gloves.
Nancy did not answer; she was looking at the round table, which was covered with the shining brass ornaments which had been removed from the chimney-piece in the search for the missing coin. There they were--candlesticks, pans, snuffer-tray, and beer-warmer, articles she remembered from earliest childhood as never in use, and always highly polished. Now as the firelight flickered upon them they seemed to be looking at the distracted girl with countless fiery eyes which twinkled in malice. Nancy could not take her eyes from these other eyes, she could not think for the moment. She vaguely knew that her mother took away her parcel, and presently Mrs. Forest's rasping voice recalled her from her stupefied reverie.