Rachel Ray

a full consciousness of her immediate present position. “Oh, Dolly, do not speak with that terrible voice, as though the world were coming to an end,” she said, in answer to the first note of

nce as in her speech, if only her mother would use the occasion as it should be used. Mrs Ray had been made to feel how great was the necessity for outspoken severity; but when the moment came

thea told you?

u standing alone an hour since with that young man — in the churchy

. For the most part we know better now, and have learned to decipher more accurately the outward signs which are given by the impulses of the heart. An unmerited accusation of untr

, is it tru

spoke to me in the churchyard, though I did not

chel!” said

to anger me by using such a word, but I will not be angered by any words. I went there to look after you,

yes of which the incipient strength was becoming manifest. “There was no oc

hat young man was at Ex

n that way about your friends?” Then, when the words had passed from her lips, she remembered that she should not have called Mr Rowan her friend. She had never called him so, in thin

you look for such friendship as that

r anything. People do get to know each other

s suspended during these operations. Mrs Prime was aware that a great deal more must be said, but she was very anxious that her mother should say it. Rachel

n after nightfall in the churchyard, then I have done. In that case I will say no more. But I must t

thea!” sa

such meetings by her own sense of what is right, she must

s were coming, but struggled hard to retain them. “Mamma, I have don

elieve both of them, though the words of one were

be standing out there alone at any hour of the night, with an

which would overwhelm her, she determined that she would say nothing further till she pleaded her cause before her mother alone. How could she describe before her sister the way in which that interview at the churchyard stile had been brought about? But she could kneel at her mother’s feet and tell her everything — she thought, at least, that

Prime, as she bade her sister adieu for the

e very careful with her clothes, but in her anger she had almost thrown them upon the little sofa. “Will you have anything before you go to bed, Dorothea?” said Mrs Ray. “Nothing, thank you,” said Mrs Prime; and he

rime, “something mus

ll talk to me tonight

he tell you

t know that the young man was to be here. You know if he did com

him there — all alone? Mother, what would you think

not dare to go on with her supposition. She did not dare to suggest that Mr Rowan might perhaps be a very proper young man, and that the two young people might be growing fond of each other in a proper sort of way. She hardly believed in any such pro

st have remained together for nearly half an hour afterwards. And this with a perfect stranger, mother — a man whose name she had never mentioned to us till she was told how Miss

eaving us,” said Mrs Ray, speaking

remain here, seeing such things, if my voice is not allowed to be heard. But though I

a, do not sa

w her to be a castaway? Those whom you love you must chastise. I have no authority over her — as she has told me, more than once already — and therefore I say again, tha

r her child had been banished from her mind almost before it had been entertained. Then she thought of Rachel’s eyes, and knew that she would not be able to assume a perfect mastery over the girl. When the ten minutes were over she had made up her mind to nothing, and then she also took up her candle and went to her room. When she first entered it she did not see Rachel. She had silently

never thought anythi

you would trust me, and have you so soon forgotten your trust? Look at me, m

have done anything; but y

you what happened this evening? He came and met us all in the fields. I knew before that he had come back, for the girls had said so,

are afra

t the girls. As I went through the churchyard he came there too, and then the sun was setting, and he stopped me to look at it; I did stop with him — for a few moments, and I felt ashamed of myself; but how was I to help i

against such signs of love? Mrs Ray, at any rate, was not possessed of strength to do so. She was vanquished, and put her arm round her girl and embraced her. She spoke soft words, and told Rachel that she was her dear, dear, dearest darling. She was still awed and dismayed by the tidings

I am making up stories to deceive you?” Then the mother assu

nderstood the sign. “My darling, you mustn’t let him do that.” “No, mamma; I won’t. But he went on talking so fast that I had not time to stop him, and after that it was not worthwhile.” The project of the party was also told to Mrs Ray, and Rachel, sitting now with her head upon her mother’s lap, owned that she would like to go to it. “Parties are not always wicked, mamma,” she said. To this assertion Mrs Ray expressed an undecided assent, but intimated her decided belief that very many parties were wicked. “There will be dancing, and I do not like that,” said Mrs Ray. “Yet I was taught dancing at school,” said R

ning, Dolly,” she said, and then went on arranging the things on the breakfast-table. “Good morning, Rachel,” said Mrs Prime, still speaking like a raven. There was not a word said between them ab

shall have occasion to know Mr Prong it may be as well to explain here that he was not simply a curate to old Dr Harford, the rector of Baslehurst. He had a separate district of his own, which had been divided from the old parish, not exactly in accordance with the rector’s good pleasure. Dr Harford had

most ardent. For the last year or two she had always attended morning service at his church, and very frequently had gone there twice in the day, though the walk was long and tedious, taking her the whole length of the town of Baslehurst. And there had been some little uneasiness between Mrs Ray and Mrs Prime on the matter of this church attendance. Mrs Prime had wished her mother and sister to have the benefit of Mr Prong’s eloquence; but Mrs Ray, though she was weak in morals, was strong in her determination to adhere to Mr Comfort of Cawston. It had been matter of great sorrow to her that her daughter should leave Mr Comfort’s church, and she had positively declined to be taken out of her own parish. Rachel had, of course, stuck to her mother in this controversy, and had said some sharp things about Mr Prong. She declared that Mr Prong had been educated at Islington, and that sometimes he forgot his “h’s”. When such things were said Mrs Prime would wax very angry, and would declare that no one could be saved by the per

ake the journey pleasantly. Rachel had counted on the walk with her mother, and had determined that everything should be pleasant. She would have said a word or two about Luke Rowan, and would have gradually reconciled her mother to his name. But as it was she said nothing; and it may be feared that her mind, during the period of her worship, was not a

s by common consent to be banished from their lips for the day. In the evening, after tea, the two sisters again went up to Cawston Church, leaving their mother with her Bible — but hardly a word was spoken between them, and in the same silence they sat till bedtime. To Mrs Ray and to Rachel

himself on the wooden rail, watching till all of it should be over, and thinking, with lazy half-formed thoughts, of Rachel Ray. He did not ask himself what he meant by assuring her of his friendship, and by claiming hers, but he declared to himself that she was very lovely — more lovely than beautiful, and then smiled inwardly at the prettiness of her perturbed split. He remembered well that he had called her Rachel, and that she had allowed his doing so to pass by w

rone to sarcasm, sometimes cynical, and perhaps sometimes affected. It may be that he was not altogether devoid of that Byronic weakness “which was so much more prevalent among young men twenty years since than it

, as he slowly took his legs from