Luke's wife

by Evelyn R. Garratt

And so it was settled and Luke had two whole days of quiet. He did not move out of his study except for meals, and then he hurried over them and ate them without speaking. Rachel, knowing what he was going through and in what dead earnest he was, in his longing to rid his men of the terrible doubts that had been sown in their hearts, kept silence. It might have been a quiet day arranged by the Bishop!

Luke had given her a long list of people to visit, and had told her what information was needed for the magazine, and Rachel set to work asking no further questions. She dispensed money where she thought it was needed (not always wisely alas!) and tended to the best of her knowledge the sick people, singing to many of them; and though it was work just after her own heart, being utterly unused to it having had no training whatever, it took a great deal out of her, particularly as she was of a sympathetic nature. But she felt it was well worth while when, after the two days were over, the strained tired look on Luke's face had disappeared giving way to one full of peace and happiness.

He had felt it his duty to face over again, all the arguments and difficulties that his people might come across; and he realised that he was at war with the Devil. The words of St. Paul often ran in his mind; "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Not even Rachel was conscious of the spiritual warfare that was raging in her husband's little study, nor how often he threw himself on his knees crying to God for help in the conflict, nor had Rachel the faintest suspicion of the victories that were gained within its walls.

She had often wished that her husband was not so preoccupied, and had more thought for the small things of life which make all the difference to its comfort. But though she felt that the things of which she complained in her heart were so insignificant compared to the great matters about which Luke was engaged, she had no idea that his preoccupation and absentness of mind were often caused by the fact that he had either lost or won a spiritual battle.

He was thankful now that he had spent so much time in facing the doubts and difficulties that he had met with in the course of his reading, so that the two quiet days enabled him to prepare the subject in such a way as to make the truth plain to his men.

On the night of the meeting Rachel found it rather hard to occupy her thoughts with anything but the great strain which she knew Luke was passing through. He was late home and to turn her mind from that which was making her anxious she sat down to the piano and sang.

She was just finishing her song when she heard the front door open. She sat still in her suspense, expecting Luke to come at once into the drawing-room. But instead, she heard him going upstairs to his study, and walking heavily as if he was tired.

For some moments she sat still where she was, then she followed him. But at the study door she stopped.

Was that Luke groaning? Was he ill?