She rather anticipated the working party. For one thing it would be her first appearance at a Parish meeting and she felt on her metal. No doubt she could get a little fun out of it. The prospect that Mrs. Greville had held out to her of a life without any time to play, had sounded dull, and she determined that the description given to her should not be correct. She would not lead a dull life, why should she? Having a sense of humour she often saw fun where others saw just the reverse. Anyhow she was determined to be in a gay mood at the working party and if it was possible to get any fun out of it, she would. She was not fond of her needle but that did not signify, and indeed could not be helped.
Rachel looked through her dresses and with a little chuckle chose one which, as she told Luke afterwards, would astonish the "natives." It was not exactly a dress for a working party, but she resolved that now she was to make her first appearance she should be dressed prettily for Luke's sake. So determined to forget the morning cooking lesson, she started off directly dinner was over, in a merry mood. Luke had had only time to sit down to a hurried meal before he was due at a clerical meeting, so she had not the pleasure of showing her pretty frock to her husband before leaving the house.
Arrived at Mrs. Stone's house, she was shown into the drawing-room which seemed full to overflowing of ladies, all elderly and all talking, till she made her appearance. Then the buzz ceased for a moment and Rachel felt conscious of about thirty pairs of eyes scrutinising her. But she was nothing daunted being quite used to meeting strangers and to being made much of by them. She was shown a seat near Mrs. Stone who at once took her under her wing, and Rachel congratulated herself on this fact, for her face was pleasant and smiling, and she looked as if humour was not left out of her composition.
Rachel felt at home at once and before long Mrs. Greville, glancing across the room, wondered what caused the quiet ripple of laughter that came from the corner where Rachel sat. She noticed that her daughter-in-law was looking exceedingly pretty and happy. There was no distressed frown on her brow which she had noticed in the morning; she looked the gayest of the gay. Mrs. Greville wished that she had put on a more suitable dress and a hat that did not look as if it had come out of Bond Street. She was quite a foreign element in the room and it rather worried Luke's mother to see how the ladies round her daughter-in-law laid down their work again and again to listen more easily to Rachel's conversation. Could it be possible that she heard Polly's name? Surely Rachel was not making fun of the girl she had secured for her. Besides there was nothing whatever to laugh at in Polly. She was a staid little body and a thoroughly good teachable girl. But yes; there it was again. No doubt Mrs. Stone who looked so thoroughly amused was drawing her out. It was really very awkward and tiresome. She only wished that Rachel was more staid and more what a clergyman's wife should be.
Mrs. Greville looked longingly at the clock, it was just upon four. She would propose to Rachel that she should not wait for tea as Luke might be wanting his. It would be quite easy to do, and natural.
Rachel rose delighted at Mrs. Greville's suggestion made in a low tone of voice. She had enjoyed herself and had talked freely about some of her difficulties in house keeping, quite unconscious of the fact, that she was being drawn out by some members of the working party with not altogether kind motives. She had addressed most of her conversation to Mrs. Stone, whom she liked, feeling instinctively that she was a woman to be trusted, but she gradually began to feel a little uneasy at the probing questions of some of the others; questions which she felt they had no right to ask; and which there was no necessity to answer; but she was so anxious to make friends with Luke's people and not to annoy them by showing her own annoyance that she was conscious that she was talking more than she ought. So when Mrs. Greville proposed to her to go home in case Luke was back from the clerical meeting, she rose with alacrity, and was pleased when Mrs. Stone said that she was so sorry that she had to leave as she had added greatly to the pleasure of the afternoon.
When the door closed behind her, an amused smile passed from one to the other of those who had been sitting near her.
"The Vicar has certainly given us a surprise," said one in a low voice, so that Mrs. Greville could not hear. "She has roused us all up this afternoon."
"A more unsuitable clergyman's wife I cannot imagine," said another.
"Her hat must have cost three pounds at least," remarked a third, "and as for her dress!"