“But to think of the poor child’s waking up out at sea.”

“Oh!  Mrs. Karen will let her know she may think herself well off.  I never let ’em go unless there’s a married woman aboard to take charge of them, and that’s why I kept your lady waiting till the Red Cloud was ready to sail.  You may tell her Ladyship she could not have a better berth, and she’ll want for nothing.  I know what is due to the real quality, and I’ve put aboard all the toilette, and linen, and dresses as was bespoke for the last Mrs. Van Draagen, and there’s a civil spoken wench aboard, what will wait on her for a consideration.”

“Nay, but mistress,” said Loveday, whispering:  “I know those that would give more than you will ever get from my Lady if they found her safe here.”

“Of course there are, or she would not be here now,” said Mrs. Darke, with a horrid grin; “but that won’t do, my lass.  A lady that’s afraid of exposure will pay you, if she pawns her last diamond, but a gentleman—­why, he gets sick of his fancy, and snaps his fingers at them that helped him!” Then, looking keenly at Loveday, “You’ve not been playing me false, eh?”

“O no, no,” hastily exclaimed Loveday, cowering at the malignant look.

“If so be you have, Grace Loveday, two can play at that game,” said Mrs. Darke composedly.  “There, I have left her enough to turn back.  What hair it is!  Feel the weight of it!  There’s not another head of the mouse-colour to match your Lady’s in the kingdom,” she added, smoothing out the severed tresses with the satisfaction of a connoisseur.  “No wonder madame could not let this be wasted on the plantations, when you and I and M. le Griseur know her own hair is getting thinner than she would wish a certain Colonel to guess.  There! the pretty dear, what a baby she looks!  I will tie her on a cowl, lest she should take cold on the river.  See these rings.  Did you Lady give no charge about them?”

“I had forgot!” said the waiting-woman, confused; “she charged me to bring them back, old family jewels, she said, that must not be carried off to foreign parts; but I cannot, cannot do it.  To rob that pretty creature in her sleep.”

“Never fear.  She’ll soon have a store much finer than these!  You fool, I tell you she will not wake these six or eight hours.  Afraid?  There, I’ll do it!  Ho!  A ruby?  A love-token, I wager; and what’s this?  A carved Cupid.  I could turn a pretty penny by that, when your lady finds it convenient, and her luck at play goes against her.  Eh! is this a wedding-ring?  Best take that off; Mr. Van Draagen might not understand it, you see.  Here they are.  Have you a patch-box handy for them in your pocket?  Why what ails the woman?  You may thank your stars there’s some one here with her wits about her!  None of your whimpering, I say, her comes Captain Karen.”

Two seafaring men here came up the garden path, the foremost small and dapper, with a ready address and astute countenance.  “All right, Mother Darkness, is our consignment ready?  Aye, aye!  And the freight?”