She thought he would have irritated her less if his black coat had fitted him properly. Once, any sign of poverty or pathos appealed to her. Lately it had only aroused a grudging annoyance that anyone should be silly enough to add to the world's accumulation of misery.
"Of course there's nothing further to say." Though she knew quite well it would be better if she could leave things alone, she added: "Oh, except that it may have escaped your notice that the lock on the door of the class room cupboard, where we keep the tea-things, is broken. I can send the joiner up to mend it if you like."
Coast turned away.
"I have already attended to the matter," he replied.
A whist drive was in progress at the village school. Fourteen collapsible tables, with a fixed determination to fulfil their destiny by collapsing at every possible moment, filled the room where, five months ago, the Christmas Tree had stood. Fifty-six ladies and gentlemen from Anderby and the country sat around, intent and upright, clutching the fateful cards on which hung their chance of possessing a silver-plated toast-rack, a pair of gent's gloves, size 8-1/2, or a currant loaf.
Mr. Coast presided over the entertainment. At intervals that seemed all too short for perspiring players desperately pursuing the odd trick, he blew a shrill whistle, and fifty-six wooden chairs shrieked and grated along the well scrubbed boards.
Mrs. Robson was not playing. Instead she stood near the door, now talking to the schoolmaster, now vanishing into the adjoining class room to superintend the making of coffee, the arrangement of tarts and jellies, and the fair distribution of ham and chicken sandwiches that awaited the supper interval.
The vicar, arriving shortly after nine o'clock, approached the schoolmaster as the one unengrossed person in the room.
"Dear me, yes. A nice gathering you have here to-night. A very nice little gathering. I have just spoken to Mrs. Robson in the passage. Very, good supper there—ha? Very good indeed."
"Excuse me," remarked Coast dryly, and blew the whistle.