Rachel Ray

wn in her mind as those things do grow, till it ha

were to be introduced because the piano would be troublesome; the drawing-room carpet was to be taken up, and there was to be a supper in the dining-room. The thing in its altered shape loomed large by degrees upon Mr Tappitt, and he found himself unable to stop its growth. The word ball would have been

ld man. Mrs Butler Cornbury had, it is true, not been esteemed as holding any very high rank while shining as a beauty under the name of Patty Comfort; but she had taken kindly to her new honours, and was now reckoned as a considerable magnate in that part of the country. She did not customarily join in the festivities of the town, and held herself aloof from people even of higher

somewhat grown upon them in estimation since Luke had been living with them. They had not known much of him till he came among them, and had been prepared to patronise him; but they found him a young man not to be patronised by any means, and imperceptibly they learned to feel that his mother and sister wou

er mouth and said nothing. She had watched from the house door on that Saturday evening, and had been perfectly aware that Luke Rowan had taken Rachel

n a lot of envelopes the addresses of the notes which were afterwards to be prepared. "We told her w

tting. "Put that aside, Cherry. Rachel Ray is all very well, but considering all things I

ed it to her already

"It would be the meanest thing

hat Mrs Rowan would lik

l is quite up to what Mary ha

with Luke already," said Mrs Tapp

herry. "If he likes her he'll find her

ay that what I say is non

lready asked her! Besides,

Butler Cornbury would wish t

particular friend," said Martha. "Mrs R

at Bragg's End about seven o'clock on the Tuesday morning. It was delivered into Rachel's own hand, and read by her as she stood by the kitchen dresser before either her mother or Mrs Prime had come down from their rooms. There was still sadness and gloom at Bragg's End. During all the Monday there had been no comfort in the house, and Rachel had continued to share her mother's bedroom. At intervals, when Rachel had been away, much had been said between Mrs Ray and Mrs

little doubted but that she might have gone to the party. If Mrs Prime had not been there, Rachel, as she was now gradually becoming aware, might have had her own way almost in everything. Without the support which Mrs Prime gave her, Mrs Ray would have gradually slid down from that stern code of morals which she had been induced to adopt by the teaching of those around her, and would have entered upon a new s

s evening! tha

f," said Rachel. Mrs Ray seemed to think that there might be good in

nt to go, my dear?" Mrs

Ray uttered a little sound which betokened u

larly. You never used to care about such things. You know your si

hy I wish it par

, my

I can make you underst

I shall unders

ured to explain herself. "It isn't that I care for this party especially, mamma, thoug

l what,

bout these things, and I don't intend to let h

Rac

d it wouldn't be very much to give up, for I don't often get the chance. But you don't say so. You only say that I had better not

what she says ab

ake any difference. And - I'll tell you more; I do particularly wish to go to Mrs Tappitt's, because of all that Dolly has

be afraid of

tice them." As Rachel spoke Mrs Ray looked up at her, and was surprised by the expression of unrelenting purpose which she saw there. There had come over her face that motion in her eyes and that arching of her brows which

clared with tears in her eyes, that it was not her intention to be guided by Dorothea in this matter. "You ought not to say such things as that, Rachel," she said. "No, mamma, I ought not; for there is no one so good as you are; and if you'll say that you think I ought not to go, I'll write to Cherry, and explain it to

r why she was going. Rachel had no need to ask, for she well understood her mother's purpose. As to Mrs Prime, she was in these days black and full of gloom, asking but few questions, watching the progress of events with the eyes of an evil-singing

achel had become suddenly an object of interest to Mr Luke Rowan, how Dorothea suspected terrible things, and how Rachel was anxious for the world's vanities. The more she thought over it, the more sure she felt that Mr Comfort would put an embargo upon the party. It seemed but yesterday tha

his world should be as nothing to them, he did not remember that he himself enjoyed keenly the good things of this world. If he had a fault it was perhaps this - that he was a hard man at a bargain. He liked to have all his temporalities, and make them go as far as they could be stretched. There was the less excuse for this, seeing that his children were well, and even

ine. As she continued to tell her story he interrupted her from time to time with good-natured little words, and then

ted Mrs Ray, not exact

are in the brew

, or is to have.

'll have to give him a very serious bit of money. There's no doubt about the young ma

ke

to a very handsome girl - a very handsome girl indeed. I

looks are very dangero

know, handsome girls very often do very well

hing of that. I don't suppose he has eve

their coming together in a proper sort of way. I don't like night walking

achel didn'

u ask my advice, Mrs Ray, I should just tell her to be cautious, but I shouldn't be especially careful to separate them. Marriage is the happi

the party,

ng her home. It's always well for a young girl to go with a married woman." Then Mrs Ray did take her glass of sherry, and walked back to Bragg's End,

ng the young man from the brewery. But Mr Comfort, in what few words he had said on this part of the subject, had shown no consideration whatever for Mrs Prime. "Then she'll behave very wickedly," he had said. "But I'm

the weight of its iniquity, and which even to her had been very terrible, was a mere nothing - a venial accident on Rachel's part, and the most natural proceeding in the world on the part of Luke Rowan! That it was natural enough for a wolf Mrs Ray could understand; but she was now told that the lamb might go out and meet the wolf without any danger! And then those questions about Rowan's share in the brewery, and Mr Comfort's ready assertion that the young wolf - man or wolf, as the case might be - was well to do in the world! In fact Mrs Ray's interview with her clergyman had not gone exactly as she

ct, that Rachel was to accept the invitation, and to be carried to the party by Mrs Butler Cornbury. "Oh, mamma! Dear mamma!" said Rachel, who was leaning against the side of the bed. Then she gave a long sigh, and a bright colour came over her face - almost as though she were blushing. But she said no more at the moment, but allowed her mind to run off and revel in its own thoughts. She had indeed longed to go to this party, though she had taught herself to believe that she could bear being told th

fish on the part of Mrs Ray and Rachel that they should have kept such good things only for their little private banquets, but, in truth, such delicacies did not suit Mrs Prime. Nice things aggravated her spirits and made her fretful. She liked the tea to be stringy and bitter, and she liked the bread

upon the dark dingy fluid in her cup as she

you say you we

ask him f

O

thought it right to go to t

ive himself up to the gospel as he used to do. If people were called upon to bind themselves down

an, I believe," said Rachel,

re they? They go to cricket matches, and among young women with bows and arrows! If you

y stirred her tea with rather a quick motion of her hand. Rachel said not a word, but her mother's sharp speech and spirited manner was very pleasant to her. She was quite contented now that Mr

rime. "Of course, mamma, yo

st my own judgement, I went to Mr Comfort for advice. He

e. Mrs Ray had forgotten that nothing had as

t the brewery," said Rachel, in her ver

cas discipline to be inflicted daily upon Rachel on account of that sin of which she had been guilty in standing under the elms with a young man was utterly lost in this terrible proposition! Instead of being sent to Miss Pucker in her oldest merino dress, Rachel was to be decked in muslin and finery, and sent out to a d

postman, on his road into Baslehurst, that she might send her little note to Mrs