Over his cup of tea he ventured, humbly and meekly, to hint at the restoration of the church.
"It's such a picturesque old place that it would be a shame to pull it to pieces and spoil it by injudicious restoration," returned Laura decidedly.
"It isn't a question of my own particular fads, Miss Lancaster, but the fabric is absolutely unsafe, owing to an extensive settlement. The roof isn't watertight, and the windows are almost tumbling out of the walls."
"And how much would be needed?"
"A friend of mine, an architect, has most kindly offered to give his services without fees; but to make the place even decent would cost, he says, two thousand pounds."
"You clergymen are all alike!" she cried.
"You will never raise such a sum here!" was her brusque answer.
"I don't like to commence our acquaintance by begging, Miss Lancaster; but if you could see your way to do anything for what is, after all, your parish church——"
"Yes, but we always go to Thornton. Old Mr. Short was awfully rude to father years ago, and we left the church. I play the organ at Thornton and train the choir; and the Vicar and his wife are great friends of ours. I couldn't leave them in the lurch by coming back to this church now—especially as Thornton is a very poor parish too."