"I did not mean to disturb you, mother, while you were entertaining company."
Mrs. Ray said nothing,—nothing at the moment; but Rachel took upon herself to answer her sister. "You wouldn't have disturbed us at all, even if you had come a little sooner. But you are not too late for tea, if you'll have some."
"I've taken tea, thank you, two hours ago;" and she spoke as though there were much virtue in the distance of time at which she had eaten and drunk, as compared with the existing rakish and dissipated appearance of her mother's tea-table. Tea-things about at eight o'clock! It was all of a piece together.
"We are very glad to see you, at any rate," said Mrs. Ray; "I was afraid you would not have come out to us at all."
"Perhaps it would have been better if I had not come."
"I don't see that," said Rachel. "I think it's much better. I hate quarrelling, and I hope you're going to stay now you are here."
"No, Rachel, I'm not going to stay. Mother, it is impossible I should see that young man walking out of your house in that way without speaking of it; although I'm well aware that my voice here goes for nothing now."
"That was Mr. Luke Rowan," said Mrs. Ray.
"I know very well who it was," said Mrs. Prime, shaking her head. "Rachel will remember that I've seen him before."
"And you'll be likely to see him again if you stay here, Dolly," said Rachel. This she said out of pure mischief,—that sort of mischief which her sister's rebuke was sure to engender.