Luke's wife

by Evelyn R. Garratt

After he had gone, the subject that had caused their talk and had brought to light their poverty forced itself again upon her.

No holiday! All the summer in this tiny stuffy little house away from the flowers and the breezy wind. How could she bear it herself, and still more how could Luke go on working all day and the greater part of the evening in the terrible heat, which was making her feel giddy and faint already.

She hurried into the drawing-room which was without sun and threw the window open. Then she looked for her weekly bill books and sat down to examine them. She saw they were higher than she supposed they ought to be, but she did not see how she could economise with a man in the house. If it were only herself and Polly they could do on less; but Luke, though he might not notice that he was having less would soon reap the consequence and feel limp.

Rachel leant her arms on the bureau and her chin on the palms of her hands and gazed out Of the window. How could they manage to get away for a week if no longer?

Unfortunately Heatherland was impossible.

Her mother found herself so impoverished that she was selling her house and was on the point of going into a much smaller one in the village. Rachel had felt very sad when Sybil had written to tell her the news. That her mother, at her age, should have to uproot again would be a real trial; evidently her family were in financial difficulties too.

Rachel began to think over her belongings and wondered if she could not sell some of her wedding presents. There was the pearl necklace that an uncle who was dead had given her. It was of little use to her now, and in her present mood she felt that a breath of sea air would compensate for the loss of any number of pearls.

Yes, she would certainly sell her pearls. She wondered if the day would come when she would be reduced to selling many of her possessions. It looked like it. It was a terrible shame that livings should be so small that the very necessities of life should have to be done without. Well anyhow she would sell her pearls and not tell Luke till it was done. She would get a cousin of hers to do the transaction for her. She knew she might be cheated and it would be no good for Luke to try and sell them. He was no business man and would without doubt be contented with half their value. No, she would write to her cousin. They simply must go away somewhere this summer.

She wrote the letter to her cousin and got Polly to run round to the post with it. Then she began to wonder if she ought not to do what Luke had suggested; ask the advice of Mrs. Greville. But she was saved the trouble, for late in the morning her mother-in-law came round to see her.

"Luke tells me you are rather worried about the expenses," she said, "and I am wondering if I can help you. Shall I look through your books and see what you could do without?" and as she saw Rachel flush she added, "It is not at all surprising my dear. Of course you have never been used to economise. I hope you don't me an interfering old woman," she added kindly, as she saw signs of distress on Rachel's face.