There s one thing that comes into my mind so often, said Mary, and I
can scarcely ever hold in when I think of it suddenly. I keep thinking
suppose Colin s face should get to look like a full moon. It isn t like
one yet but he gets a tiny bit fatter every day and suppose some
morning it should look like one what should we do!
Bless us all, I can see tha has a good bit o play actin to do,
said Susan Sowerby. But tha won t have to keep it up much longer.
Mester Craven ll come home.
Do you think he will? asked Colin. Why?
Susan Sowerby chuckled softly.
I suppose it ud nigh break thy heart if he found out before tha told
him in tha own way, she said. Tha s laid awake nights plannin it.
I couldn t bear anyone else to tell him, said Colin. I think about
different ways every day, I think now I just want to run into his
room.
That d be a fine start for him, said Susan Sowerby. I d like to see
his face, lad. I would that! He mun come back that he mun.
One of the things they talked of was the visit they were to make to her
cottage. They planned it all. They were to drive over the moor and
lunch out of doors among the heather. They would see all the twelve
children and Dickon s garden and would not come back until they were
tired.
Susan Sowerby got up at last to return to the house and Mrs. Medlock.
It was time for Colin to be wheeled back also. But before he got into
his chair he stood quite close to Susan and fixed his eyes on her with
a kind of bewildered adoration and he suddenly caught hold of the fold
of her blue cloak and held it fast.
You are just what I what I wanted, he said. I wish you were my
mother as well as Dickon s!
All at once Susan Sowerby bent down and drew him with her warm arms
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