He explained where he had been, and then she told him of all Celia's misdeeds, and Lulu Tillotson's visit. He listened in silence, too angry and indignant to trust himself to speak, but when she broke to him the sad news about Joy, he cried out in grief and dismay.
"Mother, it is too cruel! God will not permit it!"
"Hush, my boy! It will be as He sees fit. If Joy can say, 'Thy will be done,' surely we ought to be able to say it too! We must try to make things easier for her to bear, not harder. I shall go back to her presently, but you must stay with Uncle Jasper till Monday. Then we will all return to A— together."
"This is Celia's doing, I suppose. Is Uncle Jasper in a great rage, mother?"
"No, he is not in a rage at all, now. He is as grieved as I am that matters have taken the turn they have; but he agrees with me that, under the circumstances, it is better we should go home."
[CHAPTER XXVI.]
AT A— AGAIN.
IT was Sunday evening; and all the members of the Vicarage household were at church with the exception of Mrs. Wallis and her little invalid daughter. Joy lay on a sofa in the drawing-room; her face, pale and worn with sickness though it was, wore its habitually happy expression, and she was talking animatedly to Sir Jasper Amery, who was seated by her side. This was her second interview with him since Celia had made full confession. The first had been a painful meeting for both, but it had ended in a perfect understanding between them; and now Joy was quite enjoying her chat.
Sir Jasper had been explaining the exact amount of mischief the fire had wrought, and that the work of rebuilding was to begin at once.
"You will see—" he was commencing, when he stopped abruptly, and left the sentence unfinished. "I hope the journey will not be too much for you to-morrow," he proceeded, presently. "Dr. Forbes thinks you will be none the worse for it. I have made all arrangements for your comfort; you will have a first-class carriage to yourselves, and—"