Outside Hampton Court station they found the horse and cart for which
John had arranged; and the two men got in silently and started off once
more. They were within a short distance of their destination, when John
pulled up the horse with an exclamation of astonishment. They were in a
narrow lane, with barely room enough for the cart to pass along, and
almost within a yard of the horse's hoofs stood the figure of a young
girl.
Ashford recognised her in an instant; with a shout of warning, he threw
the reins to his father-in-law and, leaping to the ground, caught the
girl by the arm.
"Jessica!" he cried reproachfully. "What are you doing here?"
She looked up at him in silence, and her eyes filled with tears.
"I am coming back to you," she said at last, in a low voice, "if you
will have me? There was some one I wanted to see again in London, or I
would never have gone; for, oh! sir, I know how good you and Mrs.
Ashford have been to me."
John appeared relieved.
"I thought you weren't one of the sort to go off and leave my Lucy just
because she was ill and wanted extra help," he said, in a tone of
relief.
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