"What is Luke doing all day in his study? That sedentary life is very bad for him and he ought to be visiting his people."
Rachel, who was trying on a little frock for Pat which she had been making, looked up amused.
"He has visited every one of his people a dozen times since he came here. In fact he was afraid of over visiting them."
"But then what is he doing all day? He is young and strong and ought to be at work," said Mrs. Greville, standing in front of Rachel as if she was in some way to blame. Her face was anxious and perplexed. She could scarcely understand work without movement, and rush.
"You may be quite sure he is not wasting his time," said Rachel; then hoping to distract her mother-in-law's thought she held up the baby to be admired.
"Doesn't he look sweet," she said. "He shall wear this little frock when we have the villagers to tea. He must look his best."
But once Mrs. Greville was on the war path nothing would move her.
"It isn't as if he had an intellectual congregation to preach to as he had at Trowsby," she said. "Of course then he had to study and fit himself for the work. But here they are only uneducated people. I am sure he cannot want all this time to prepare for them."
"But don't you know that a man like Luke must find it much more difficult to speak to such people? He has to make everything so plain and to choose the simplest subjects. I am quite sure he finds it much harder to prepare his sermons here than he did at Trowsby."
"I don't understand it at all," said Mrs. Greville, moving away to the window. "And why he should object to me going into his study, I can't imagine. He does not say in so many words that he prefers my absence to my presence, but I see it worries him. Of course I used to leave him quite alone at Trowsby, but then I knew every moment was precious. But here there ought to be plenty of time for a chat with his mother now and then."