"Precious ikkle ducksy-wucksy," said his mother.
"Ugly ikkle monkey-wonkey," cried his father. "Why the deuce can't he
smile at me?"
"Try him!" said I, handing him over to Sir James, glad to be free of the
responsibility.
Baby Blount looked at his father and smiled again, and it was a
revelation to me of the deepest and finest feelings of a man's heart to
see how ravished Sir James was with this first smile of his baby boy's.
"It's you that's changed, James, not our little darling," said his wife.
"He'll always smile at a face as happy as yours is this morning."
I lingered through these delightful moments over an old book and a new
baby with an easy conscience, for Master Freake had brought me news which
made my third task much easier. I had not told him what I had in hand to
do, thinking it unfair to force the knowledge on him, but he must have
made a good guess at it, for he came to tell me that the latest news from
Stone was that the Duke was moving south again at top speed, with the
intention of getting between the Prince and London if he could. He told me
further that Charles had joined Murray at Ashbourne in the small hours,
and that their reunited forces had started out for Derby.
Pages:
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383