"No, I only saw you. But why didn't you tell me what you were doing?"
"Because I was afraid you would not let me part with them. Uncle Joe gave them to me, and I was fond of him."
"I shouldn't have prevented you from parting with them. What is the good of pearls?"
"The good! Why their beauty is their good. They are gifts from God just as everything else is that is lovely, and of good report. Don't despise them. Besides," she said, feeling a little sore, "Uncle Joe gave them to me, and I loved him." Then she added, determined not to give way to any feeling of disappointment, "and now we can think about our holiday. Where shall we go?"
She was folding the cheque up and putting it again in the envelope of her letter. But on noticing that Luke did not answer her question, she glanced up and found him looking out of the window with a dreamy happy smile on his face. He was evidently thinking of the holiday. Perhaps his thoughts had flown to Southwold and the moon's silver pathway on the sea. The happiness displayed in his expression of face made her feel that the small self-denial that she had exercised was well worth while.
"I do believe," he said, still looking out of the window, "that at last my dream will be fulfilled."
"What is your dream?" asked Rachel. She had been right. He was evidently dreaming of Southwold.
"Why, to put electric light in St. Marks. Think how attractive and bright it would make the place. I never thought I should be able to do it. How much do you think it would cost?"
Rachel was silent from astonishment and disappointment.
Then she said slowly: