Mrs Ray, in her trouble occasioned by Luke’s letter, had walked up to Mr Comfort’s house, but had not found him at home. Therefore she had written to him, in his own study, a few very simple words, telling the matter on which she wanted his advice. Almost any other woman would have half hidden her real meaning under a cloud of ambiguous words; but with her there was no question of hiding anything from her clergyman. “Rachel has had a letter from young Mr Rowan,” she said, “and I have begged her not to answer it till I have shown it to you.” So Mr Comfort sent word down to Bragg’s End that he would call at the cottage, and fixed¹ an hour for his coming. This task was to be accomplished² by him on the morning after Dr Harford’s dinner; and he had thought much of the coming conference between himself and Rachel’s mother while Rowan’s character was being discussed at Dr Harford’s house; but on that occasion he had said nothing to anyone, not even to his daughter, of the application which had been made to him by Mrs Ray. At eleven o’clock he presented himself at the cottage door, and, of course, found Mrs Ray alone. Rachel had taken herself over to Mrs Sturt, and greatly amazed that kind-hearted person by her silence and confusion. “Why, my dear,” said Mrs Sturt, “you hain’t got a word today to throw at a dog.” Rachel acknowledged that she had not; and then Mrs Sturt allowed her to remain in her silence.

“Oh, Mr Comfort, this is so good of you!” Mrs Ray began as soon as her friend was inside the parlour. “When I went up to the parsonage I didn’t think of bringing you down here all the way — I didn’t indeed.” Mr Comfort assured her that he thought nothing of the trouble, declared that he owed her a visit, and then asked after Rachel.

“To tell you the truth, then, she’s just stepped across the green to Mrs Sturt’s, so as to be out of the way. It’s a trying time to her, Mr Comfort — very; and whatever way it goes, she’s a good girl — a very good girl.”

“You needn’t tell me that, Mrs Ray.”

“Oh! but I must. There’s her sister thinks she’s encouraged this young man too freely, but —”

“By the by, Mrs Ray, I’ve been told that Mrs Prime is engaged to be married herself.”

“Have you, now?”

“Well, yes; I heard it in Baslehurst yesterday — to Mr Prong.”

“She’s kept it so close, Mr Comfort, I didn’t think anybody had heard it.”

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