'
'I'm so sorry!' said the girl, whose voice was as sweet as her face
was pretty. 'We wanted her to come for croquet. Yet I was half
afraid to come and ask her whilst Mr. Alfred was at home.'
She laughed, and at the same time blushed a little.
'Why should you be afraid of Alfred?' asked Mrs. Waltham graciously.
'Oh, I don't know.'
She turned it off and spoke quickly of another subject.
'How did you like Mr. Wyvern this morning?'
It was a new vicar, who had been in Wanley but a couple of days, and
had this morning officiated for the first time at the church.
'What a voice be has!' was the lady's reply.
'Hasn't he? And such a hairy man! They say he's very learned; but
his sermon was very simple--didn't you think so?'
'Yes, I liked it. Only he pronounces certain words strangely.'
'Oh, has Mr. Eldon come yet?' was the young lady's next question.
'He hadn't arrived this morning. Isn't it extraordinary? He must be
out of England.'
'But surely Mrs. Eldon knows his address, and he can't be so very
far away.'
As she spoke she looked down the pathway by which she had come, and
of a sudden her face exhibited alarm.
'Oh, Mrs. Waltham!' she whispered hurriedly. 'If Mr. Wyvern isn't
coming to see you! I'm afraid to meet him. Do let me pop in and hide
till I can get away without being seen.
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