Glanyravon Park lay, as we have said, in the parish of which Mr Jonathan Prothero was vicar, but as the parish and park were large, the house was three or four miles from the church; and it was on account of this distance of Glanyravon and its dependencies from church and school, that Miss Gwynne had induced her father to build the school-house, of which mention has been already made, since there was a large school in the village for such children as were within its reach.  She would have had him build a small church also, and endow it, to remove all excuse, as she said, from the chapel-goers; but this was an undertaking too mighty for him.  However, the school flourished wonderfully, both on week days and Sundays, and Miss Gwynne always filled every corner of an omnibus in which the servants went to church with such of the children as could not walk so far.  Miss Hall was an admirable assistant to the school-mistress during the week; and Gladys, with Mrs Prothero’s permission, undertook the Sunday duty for the mistress, in order that she might have a holiday on that day.  Miss Gwynne also attended, but she was too impatient and imperious to be a good teacher, much as she wished to be one.

Miss Gwynne had great ideas of doing good; grand schemes that she tried to carry out, but in which she often failed.  Nevertheless, she did a great deal of good in her own peculiar way.

She had been reading of the ‘harvest homes’ that they were endeavouring to revive in England, and had induced her father to have one in the park.  Happily, the day fixed for this general rejoicing was during Mrs Prothero’s convalescence, and before Rowland’s return to London, so that most of the members of the Prothero family could be present.  They also yielded to Miss Gwynne’s ready assistance in such preparations as she made, and were the instruments in surprising her and her father by some tasteful decorations in their honour, unknown to them.  Owen and Gladys worked very hard at floral and evergreen mottoes for the tent, whilst Rowland gave his advice as he sat with his mother, and tried to amuse her during the tedium of her recovery.

A few hours before the general gathering, a messenger arrived at the Park in great haste, bearing a note to Miss Gwynne, containing the information that the vicar had sprained his ankle just as he was going to set out for Glanyravon, and was unable to move.  There was another note for Rowland, which was to be carried on to the farm, requesting him to supply his uncle’s place.

Miss Gwynne was greatly annoyed; wished that the vicar would not go wandering about after old stones, as she was sure he had done; knew that Rowland would never be able to manage and was very sorry she had attempted the treat at all.

Whilst she was still grumbling, and Miss Hall laughing and consoling, Rowland arrived.  This was his first visit to the Park since he had been in the country, and Mr Gwynne was delighted to see him.  He perceived at once that Miss Gwynne’s equanimity was disturbed; and said that he was very sorry to come as a substitute for his uncle, but that he would do his best.  His manner was so quiet and composed, and he seemed so little alarmed by the honours thrust upon him, that Miss Gwynne gradually became reassured.