Stuff!” said I; I’ve too much Welsh blood in me for that; but a pack of interlopers, like the rest of you, never know the real mettle of them that come of the soil; we’re as clear of the soil as the ore in the Llangollen mines, we Mortimers; we can do what we have to do dermes , whatever it may be.”
Mr. Cresswell cast up his eyebrows a little, and gave a kind of glance towards Sarah and her knitting. Well, well, it isn’t bad ore, at all events,” he said, with a chuckle: but, after all, I suppose the first squire was not dug out of Llewellyn cliff?”
It will be a vast deal more profitable to find out where the next squire is to come from,” said I; we are old women both of us; I’d advise you to set things agoing without delay. What would happen, do you suppose, if Sarah and I were both to die without finding an heir? What does happen, by the bye, when such a thing occurs; does it go to the crown ?”
My dear lady, I would not give much for the crown’s chance,” said Cresswell, with, a little shrug of his shoulders. Heirs-at-law are never so far lost or mislaid but they turn up some time. Birds of the air carry the matter when there’s an estate in question. There’s nothing so safe to be found, in my humble opinion, as an heir-at-law.”
For I shouldn’t much mind,” said I to myself, thinking over it, if it went to the Queen. She might fix on the park for autumn quarters, sure, as well as on that outlandish Scotch castle of hers. It’s a great deal nearer, and I make sure it’s prettier; or if she gave it to the Prince of Wales as a present, or to any of the other children, I should not mind for my part. It is not by any means so bad a prospect as I supposed—it might go to the Queen .”
But, then, what would be done with Mr. Richard Arkwright and his progeny? I’ll be bound he has ten children,” said Mr. Cresswell. Somebody did leave Her Majesty an{4} estate not so very long ago, and I rather think she sought out the heirs and made it up to them. Depend upon it, Mr. Richard Arkwright would have it out of her. Come, we must stick to the Mortimers, Miss Milly. I’ll go off and see after the advertisements; there’s plenty of time. I don’t believe you mean to be in any hurry out of this world, either Miss Sarah or you.”
That’s as it may be—that’s as God pleases,” said I; but you must wait a little first, and I’ll see if I can find out anything further about him. Perhaps some one can think on; we’ll see, we’ll see; more may come.”
Mr. Cresswell nodded his head confidentially. You don’t remember anything about him yourself?” he said.
Bless you, I am ten years younger than she is,” said I; she was a young lady, I was only a child. I neither knew nor cared anything about the Lancashire cousin. Ten years make a great deal of difference when people are young.”
And when they’re old as well,” said Cresswell, with a little nod of his head. Mr. Cresswell, of course, like all the other people, would never have looked at me when Sarah was present in old days; but now, when we were both old women, the sly old lawyer had wheeled about, and was rather an admirer of mine. I have had admirers since I was fifty; I never had many before.
Now, are you going to stay to tea?” said I.
Thank you. I have not the least doubt it would be for my own advantage; my cook is not to be named in the same breath with yours; but I promised to be home to dinner,” said Mr. Cresswell. Thank you all the same; Sara will be waiting for me.”