At nine o'clock there was a ring at the bell, and a man handed in a large basket which Polly brought excitedly into the drawing-room.
"It's from Mrs. Greville, Ma'am," she said. Remembering that Luke had said that his mother was sending in something towards the lunch, Rachel had no doubt that the basket contained her gift.
She lifted the cloth that covered the contents of the basket, and groaned.
It was a pie! but not a dainty pie such as she had ordered. It was large and ungarnished, and might have been intended for a school treat rather than for a dainty luncheon table.
Polly stood looking at her mistress's perturbation with surprise; in her eyes the pie was lovely, and yet as her mistress was not pleased there must be something wrong about it.
"Ain't it good, Ma'am?" she asked anxiously.
"Oh yes, it's good, but oh so much too large and clumsy for our table. Besides I've ordered one, and it is to come early to-morrow morning. You'll see the difference when it comes Polly. I can't think what I am to do. I'm afraid I shall have to go round to Evesham's, late though it is, and counter order mine." Then a sudden determination made her add: "No, I won't, I'll keep to my original plan. This pie will do very nicely for another day. It is of course very kind of Mrs. Greville to send it," she added for Polly's edification.
When Luke came home she said nothing to him about what had happened, and he did not notice that she was not quite in such gay spirits as usual. Mrs. Greville arrived early in the morning next day.
"I thought you might need my help," she said to Rachel who tried to smile a welcome. "Is the silver brightened? And have you remembered to get out the best cloth? I provided one or two extra good ones for such occasions." She was full of excitement and anxious to help.
"Now would you like me to lay the table for you?" she said. "I see you have some flowers. That's right, I wondered if you would think of them."