Mrs Macmichel took the papers, glanced at them, laid them on her lap, tried to say yes and no in the right places to the information now eagerly poured forth to her; tried to keep her eyes from that letter which the clergyman's wife had been interrupted in writing. It had fluttered to the floor as she had looked through her writing-case, and now lay, unheeded by her, at the visitor's feet.
"Such a poor parish." "So much indifference." "So disheartening," fell on Flora Macmichel's unreceptive ear.
Something other than curiosity, stronger than her will, glued her eyes to the page.
"Only five shillings and twopence in the bag; and of that, two shillings were contributed by Mr Jones and myself. Discouraging, is it not?"
"--This subject we will discuss more fully when you come home again," in spite of herself she read the words.
Come home again! Come home again! When the sea gives up its dead!
The servant came in, bringing tea; picked up the letter, returned it to the table.
"If you please, ma'am, Mrs Pyman have called, and wish to speak with you."
"Ask her to wait," the mistress said; then glanced at her visitor to deprecate the anticipated polite protest on her part. "Anne Pyman will like very much to sit down in the kitchen for a while," she said. But as the maid withdrew she apparently altered her mind. "This good woman is the biggest gossip in the village," she explained. "She is always running up here to tell me this or that which she picks up. I think, after all, if you would excuse me for one minute----?"
"Of course!" the visitor said, mechanically; then awoke to the remembrance that she had undertaken to keep Mrs Jones from all outside intercourse. She turned an anxious look upon her hostess--"I think if we could have tea----?" she said.
Then she strangled a laugh in her throat--a laugh, sitting in Freddy's chair! What--what must Freddy's mother think of her!
"Oh, certainly!" Mrs Jones concurred. The large dark eyes, the only handsome feature she possessed, scanned with a fleeting gaze of inquiry the other woman's face. "I daresay, after your walk----"
"If you don't mind. Yes. Quite so. Tea is so very refreshing, don't you think?"
The temptation to say it was the cup which cheered but did not inebriate crossed her mind, but was combated.