"If so it is love that has made me so," said Rachel.
Gwen laughed. "I don't quite believe that," she said.
Rachel smiled to herself, as she thought of the day on which she had bought the overall, and had shown it to her mother-in-law with pride.
Mrs. Greville had looked at it critically, remarking:
"But you need not have gone to the expense of getting such a fanciful thing. You could have got a yard or two of some good strong material and made it up yourself. It would have served your purpose quite as well."
"I don't think so," Rachel answered laughing, "you see I like to be ornamental as well as useful."
"You need not worry about making yourself ornamental," said Mrs. Greville. "What you really want to do is to strive to be useful."
"Oh mayn't I be both? I do believe in beauty. I think our houses and everything we possess should be made as beautiful as possible. It makes life easier and happier." Unconsciously she looked round at the drab walls and ugly furniture.
Rachel would not on any account have complained of either to her mother-in-law; and her glance round had not been meant to imply anything of the sort to her. It had been done before she realised what she was doing or how her look might be interpreted. But by the sudden change in Mrs. Greville's expression of face she recognised what a mistake she had made.
Mrs. Greville had put a great restraint on herself ever since Rachel's arrival, and had been most careful not to show her disappointment in Luke's choice of a wife, to her daughter-in-law.