"Be Margaret gone in?" she asked.
"No," he said. "She's home to-day. David and Rhoda are here. Madge hasn't come."
Mrs. Stanbury sighed with dismay.
"There! And I want particular for to see her. Now whatever shall I do?"
"Come and see her," suggested Bartley. "I'll be very pleased to walk along with you. I'm not going in. The weather's too fine to miss two hours of it, and I shan't taste another English June for many a long day--perhaps never."
Constance considered, and then, the matter being of some urgency, consented.
"I'll just go into the church and tell master I'm stepping over to see Margaret. And I shall have to get my dinner there. Everything's locked up at Coombeshead till evening. We was all going to take our meat along with Mr. Moses to-day; but my men can do so, and I'll ask Madge for a bit."
So it fell out, and Hartley, quite to his satisfaction, escorted Mrs. Stanbury to 'Meavy Cot.'
First he chattered about his own hopes and disappointments; then he interested himself in his companion's affairs.
"Yes, I must be gone. No good staying here in sight of that girl--only makes me savage and good for nothing."