Gwen was afraid of no-one, specially of a mere man, as she had made up her mind that they were a set of selfish human beings who needed to be taught what was really required of them, and that one woman was worth ten men; specially such a woman as Rachel whom she loved devotedly.
In fact the selfishness of Luke had chiefly consisted in her mind in taking her favourite sister away from her. She knew little but that about him, and though she had been sent away from home in order that a change might help her to get rid of her very tiresome mood, she preferred looking upon her visit to Rachel in the light of a spy.
Was Luke worthy of her? Had he made her comfortable? Did he look well after her? These were the questions that she intended answering during her visit, and taking the answer back to her mother and sister.
But she soon found that it would not do to make the object of her visit too plain to Rachel, as the latter showed signs of being vexed; and she might defeat her own plan. So when Luke came in to supper she was on her best behaviour, though at times she could not prevent her lips curling at one or two of his remarks. It seemed to her that he was wrapped up in his own interests and noticed nothing else. She did not realise the immense importance of his interests which were centred in his work.
"We must try and give Gwen a little amusement," said Rachel next morning before her sister arrived for breakfast, "or we shan't keep her with us. Don't you think we could take her to the wood this afternoon?"
He told her by all means to go to Deasely Woods, but that he had work which could not be neglected.
To be in the woods again with Gwen satisfied a longing of Rachel's heart. They left the dullness and dirt of Trowsby behind them, and wandered among the trees, treading on the soft carpet of fallen leaves and inhaling the scent of the damp earth.
"How delicious," Rachel exclaimed.
"Do you often come here?" asked Gwen. She knew what the answer would be.
"No, Luke can't afford the time. You see the calls on his time are endless in such a parish."