It appeared that Mr. Haward would.  Moreover, when the house was reached, and Darden’s one slave came running from a broken-down stable to take the horses, he made no motion toward returning to the bridge which led across the creek to his own plantation, but instead dismounted, flung his reins to Juba, and asked if he might stay to dinner.

Now, by the greatest good luck, considered Mistress Deborah, there chanced to be in her larder a haunch of venison roasted most noble; the ducklings and asparagus, too, cooked before church, needed but to be popped into the oven; and there was also an apple tart with cream.  With elation, then, and eke with a mind at rest, she added her shrill protests of delight to Darden’s more moderate assurances, and, leaving Audrey to set chairs in the shade of a great apple-tree, hurried into the house to unearth her damask tablecloth and silver spoons, and to plan for the morrow a visit to the Widow Constance, and a casual remark that Mr. Marmaduke Haward had dined with the minister the day before.  Audrey, her task done, went after her, to be met with graciousness most unusual.  “I’ll see to the dinner, child.  Mr. Haward will expect one of us to sit without, and you had as well go as I. If he’s talking to Darden, you might get some larkspur and gilliflowers for the table.  La! the flowers that used to wither beneath the candles at my Lady Squander’s!”

Audrey, finding the two men in conversation beneath the apple-tree, passed on to the ragged garden, where clumps of hardy, bright-colored flowers played hide-and-seek with currant and gooseberry bushes.  Haward saw her go, and broke the thread of his discourse.  Darden looked up, and the eyes of the two men met; those of the younger were cold and steady.  A moment, and his glance had fallen to his watch which he had pulled out. “’Tis early yet,” he said coolly, “and I dare say not quite your dinner time,—­which I beg that Mistress Deborah will not advance on my account.  Is it not your reverence’s habit to rest within doors after your sermon?  Pray do not let me detain you.  I will go talk awhile with Audrey.”

He put up his watch and rose to his feet.  Darden cleared his throat.  “I have, indeed, a letter to write to Mr. Commissary, and it may be half an hour before Deborah has dinner ready.  I will send your servant to fetch you in.”

Haward broke the larkspur and gilliflowers, and Audrey gathered up her apron and filled it with the vivid blooms.  The child that had thus brought loaves of bread to a governor’s table spread beneath a sugar-tree, with mountains round about, had been no purer of heart, no more innocent of rustic coquetry.  When her apron was filled she would have returned to the house, but Haward would not have it so.  “They will call when dinner is ready,” he said.  “I wish to talk to you, little maid.  Let us go sit in the shade of the willow yonder.”