Everyone jumped up with alacrity. Mrs. Lester shook her head. “I shall stay and keep guard over the tent,” she said.
“No, Milly dear, you go,” said Lady Gale, “I’m much too sleepy to move.”
“Well, then, I’ll stay to keep guard over you as well,” said Mrs. Lester, laughing; “I’m lazy.”
So Rupert, Alice Du Cane, Mr. Lester, Mrs. Maradick and Mrs. Lawrence started off. The expedition was a failure. The church wasn’t found, and in the search for it the tempers of all concerned were lost. It was terribly hot, the sun beat down upon the gorse and there was very little breeze. The gorse passed and they came to sand dunes, and into these their feet sank heavily, their shoes were clogged with it. Nobody spoke very much. It was too hot and everybody had their own thoughts; Mrs. Lawrence attempted to continue her story, but received no encouragement.
“I vote we give up the church,” said Rupert, and they all trudged drearily back again.
Mrs. Maradick was wondering why Mrs. Lester hadn’t come with them. It didn’t make her wonder any the less when, on their arrival at the tent, she saw Lady Gale and Tony in sole possession. Where was the woman? Where was her husband? She decided that Rupert Gale was a nuisance. He had nothing to say that had any sense in it, and as for Mr. Lester . . .!
Tea was therefore something of a spasmodic meal. Everybody rushed furiously into conversation and then fled hurriedly out again; an air of restraint and false geniality hung over the teacups. Even Tony was quiet, and Lady Gale felt, for once, that the matter was beyond her; everyone was cross.
Then Mrs. Lester and Maradick appeared and there was a moment’s pause. They looked very cheerful and contented, which made the rest of the party only the more irritable and discontented. Why were they so happy? What right had they to be so happy? They hadn’t got sand in their shoes and a vague search after an impossible church under a blazing sun in their tempers.
Mrs. Lester was anything but embarrassed.
“Oh! there you all are! How nice you all look, and I do hope you’ve left something! No, don’t bother to move, Rupert. There’s plenty of room here! Here you are, Mr. Maradick! Here’s a place; yes, we’ve had such a nice stroll, Mr. Maradick and I. It was quite cool down by the beach. . . . Thanks, dear, one lump and cream. Oh! don’t trouble, Tony, I can reach it . . . yes, and did you see your church? Oh! what a pity, and you had all that trouble for nothing. . . .”