“Apart from every other consideration, I’m surprised he doesn’t realise how bad it looks for him to go Sunday to Vinehall when his brother is Vicar of Leasan.”
“He goes with Stella,” said Mary.
“I think that makes it worse,” said Rose.
“Why?” asked Peter.
He had come in to see George about his election to the Parochial Church Council, which his brother was extremely anxious should take place, but for which Peter had no wish to qualify himself. George had hoped that the bait of a seat on the Council, with the likelihood of being elected as the Parish’s representative at the Diocesan Conference, might induce Peter to avail himself once more of the church privileges which he had neglected for so long. It was uphill work, thought poor George, trying to run a parish when neither of one’s brothers came to church, and one’s father said ‘damn’ out loud when reading the lessons....
“Why?” asked Peter, a little resentful.
Rose looked uneasy——
“Well, everyone knows she used to run after you and now she’s running after Gervase.”
“She didn’t run after me and she isn’t running after Gervase,” said Peter; then he added heavily—“I ran after her, and Gervase is running after her now.”
“Oh!” Rose tossed her head—“I own I once thought ... but then when you married Vera ... well, anyhow I think she ought to discourage Gervase more than she does, and I insist that it’s in extremely bad taste for her to take him to church at Vinehall.”