Luke's wife

by Evelyn R. Garratt

Rachel laughed when she discovered that the Bishop had made her bovril himself! It was luxury to be looked after and taken care of.

Before he left, he made her promise to have medical advice.

"It would never do for me to see a doctor," she expostulated, "and I have no time in which to be ill. What do you suppose Luke would do with an invalid wife, and little Pat with a useless mother! No, it won't do to give in and it was only the sudden sight of you that made me so stupid."

"It is only right to both your husband and child that you should consult a doctor," returned the Bishop. "Possibly all you need is a tonic; anyhow, as I consider I stand in the position of a father to you, you must do what I say. And you must certainly curtail your work."

And so Rachel gave way and promised, and the Bishop left the house with a heavy heart. Besides the state of Rachel's health he had learnt for the first time of their extreme poverty of which he had had no idea. He did not suppose that Rachel's family knew the state of their finances, as Gwen would certainly have enlarged upon it in her letter to him had she known. No doubt Rachel had hidden the fact from her mother partly to save her pain, and also to prevent her from blaming Luke for marrying her when he could not provide for her. Something must be done. He was unwilling to give Luke too sudden a shock by telling him what he thought of his wife's health, but as Mrs. Greville was now getting stronger, he decided to enlighten her quickly about the matter. He would write directly he got home; and meanwhile, the thought that this was only one case of extreme poverty that existed among the clergy in his diocese, lay on his heart like lead.

But the doctor told Mrs. Greville of the serious state of Rachel's health before the Bishop's letter reached her.

[CHAPTER XXII.]

THE DREAM OF HIS LIFE.

Rachel did not hurry to see a doctor, but having promised to do so she knew she must keep her word, so the second day after the Bishop's visit, knowing that Luke would be away at a clerical meeting in the country, she wrote a note to the doctor who had been attending her mother-in-law asking him to come and see her. She did not suppose that there was anything seriously the matter with her notwithstanding the fact that she felt so ill; and after all, she thought to herself, she need not follow out his injunctions if they were inconvenient.