"Of course she misses me terribly. I don't feel happy at her being so far away."
He was so afraid of seeing by the expression on his wife's face that his mother was right in her judgment, that he kept his eyes on the tree above him. Rachel was silent. A sudden presentiment filled her mind and made her heart flutter.
Was Luke wanting his mother to live with them? Was it possible that such a thought had entered his mind! How could she bear it? She had grown to like Mrs. Greville, indeed to love her in a way.
Her devotion to little Pat was almost pathetic and had drawn them together. But to have her in the house, for the peace to be interrupted by her restless activities; to hear her loud voice disturbing the quiet of the home and garden! How could she bear it! And yet—yes she was sure from the look on Luke's face as he gazed up into the tree, that this was what he wanted to propose and for some reason felt nervous of doing so. She was silent; then mastering herself she said quietly:
"Of course she must miss you terribly. What a pity Trowsby is so far away." With a fear lest he should then and there propose to her what she believed would wreck the happiness and peace of the home, she added quickly, "I think it is getting a little damp and chilly. Will you bring in my chair dear."
Luke was all concern in a moment. Rachel must not get cold. He folded up the chair and followed her into the house. He was just a little surprised that Rachel had not caught his thought. She was generally so quick at discovering his meaning; but evidently the idea of his mother living with them had never crossed her mind. He must try and broach the subject again later on. Had it not been for his mother's words he would not have felt the slightest hesitation in doing so; but what she had said was making him find it a little difficult for the first time to tell Rachel his wish.
"What is the time?" asked Rachel as she paused at the door of the drawing-room.
"Half past nine."
"Then I shall go straight to bed," she said. "Polly has laid your supper in the dining-room. I must wait to hear all about your day till to-morrow, then I shall be fresher."
On reaching her bedroom Rachel locked the door and sank into a chair. The shock of the discovery of what was in Luke's mind made her feel quite faint. Was her cup of happiness to be taken from her? She had so enjoyed having her husband and child to herself—and so thankful that for a time, at least, the subject of economy could be put on one side—that she need not worry any more over eggs being 4d each or that margarine was cheaper than butter. She hoped that she had left all that behind in Trowsby for ever; but she was convinced that if Mrs. Greville lived with them the subject of economy would continually crop up whether it were needful or not. Ways and means were too interesting a topic to her mother-in-law to allow of her dropping it for long.