We stayed for some weeks in London before going to Alliston, for Sir William had some business that he was anxious to transact, before returning home. London was bright and gay just then, and we enjoyed our visit to it very much. But what gave me more pleasure than anything else was meeting Miss Irvine again. Her home in London was in the next street to the one in which we were staying, and we saw her every day.
We were much interested in hearing of the work for God that Miss Irvine was doing in one of the very poorest and lowest of the London parishes. She spoke very little of it herself, but we found out by degrees that, during the last few months, a most wonderful work, of which she was the centre, had been going on amongst the poor lost people who are crowded together in the alleys and courts of that part of London.
Whilst we were there, a tea was to be given to the women who attended her mothers' meeting. Their husbands were also invited, for she hoped by this means to be able to reach many whom it was impossible to see or to speak with in any other way.
Miss Irvine asked us, the day before the tea took place, whether we should like to be present. Evelyn accepted her invitation joyfully, but Sir William demurred a little when he heard of it.
"I don't like your going into those low parts of the city, my dear," he said to Evelyn; "in your state of health you ought to be careful. There are sure to be people there just recovering from fever or small-pox, and it can't be good for you to go through those dirty, filthy, close streets."
Evelyn looked very much disappointed.
"I want so very much to see Lilla's poor people, papa," she said.
He was going to answer her, when Miss Irvine said, "Perhaps if Evelyn does not come, you will look in for a few minutes, Sir William? Lord Moreton is going to give them a little address after tea, and he would like to meet you."
Sir William fell into the snare she had laid for him.
"Lord Moreton!" he exclaimed. "How did you get him to come? Why, he is not in town now."