And they won't be out of church yet a while.
You've ate nothing all this time! What was you thinking of doing,
my dear?"
"I don't know. If I could only find out the right Lea Farm, and get
a man and horse to take me there--but my sister goes on Monday, and
I might not find her, and nobody knows where it is. And nobody will
take me in or hide my till the coach goes! Oh, what will become of
me?"
"It is bitter hard," said the Dame. "I wish to my heart I could take
you in, but you see there's the master! I'll tell you what: there's
my cousin, Patty Woodman; she might take you in for a night or two.
But you'd never find your way to her cot; it lies out beyond the
spinneys. I must show you the way. Look you here. Nobody can't
touch you in a church, they hain't got no power there, and if you
would slip into that there empty place as opens with the little door,
as the ringers goes in by, afore morning prayers is over I'll make an
excuse to come to evening prayer alone, or only with little Davy, as
is lying asleep there. If Patty is there I'll speak, and you can go
home with her. If not, I must e'en walk with you out to the spinney.
Hern is a poor place, but her's a good sort of body, and won't let
you come to no harm; and her goes into Brentford with berries and
strawberries to meet the coaches, so may be she'll know the day.
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