The following day, Mr and Mrs Jones spent at the Park, according to a special invitation from its master and mistress.  Lady Mary’s attention to Freda’s friends did more towards reconciling her to her step-mother than anything else; and she even forgot to ask whether it was tact or not.  Mr Jones was obliged to return to London the next day, but at Freda’s earnest entreaty, he left his wife behind him for a week, which was spent by her between the Park and farm very agreeably.

Before she left, Mr Gwynne had a little private conference with her, to the following effect, and very nervous he was meanwhile:—­

’I am very much obliged to you and Mr Jones, I am sure, for your kindness to Freda.  I hope you understand how satisfied, and—­and—­all that sort of thing, you know, I am whilst she is with you.’

Mrs Jones saw that she must say something to help him on.

’We are only too glad to have her society and aid.  I assure you she has been invaluable in the parish, and is beloved by every one.’

’Exactly; I perceive a wonderful change in her; she is gentler, and less excitable.  I feel that you—­that your husband—­in short, I mean—­that—­hem—­’

‘Freda has such a fine natural character, Mr Gwynne.’

’Precisely; I would say that I am convinced you would not influence her, and so forth, in remaining away from—­you understand—­from me, in short.’

’Certainly not.  I should be very glad to think that she would return and live happily at her natural home, sorry as I should be to lose her.’

’Thank you very much indeed; you have always been her true friend.  I am very anxious—­so we are all you see—­Lady Mary would like a companion—­Harold attends to her better than to any one else.  I hope you like Harold; ah—­yes—­he is a fine boy, and so talented; and you know—­to be sure.  I should wish to have Freda to read with me again; I assure you I miss her in many ways.  And the colonel and Mrs Vaughan—­the children—­in fact—­in short—­you understand?’

’Perfectly, and will not throw any obstacle in the way of Freda’s remaining at home.’

‘Thank you very much.  You are a true friend, Mrs Jones; thank you.’

Mrs Jones made a point of repeating that conversation to Freda, whose look of blank dismay quite startled her.

’Oh!  Serena, you want to get rid of me.  I could never live this kind of life again.  Lady Mary would kill me in another month; not an idea in common.  Her daughter is fifty times more endurable, for she is innocent in her silliness.  And then that cranky, exigeant colonel, longing to make love to me if I would let him; the stiff dinner parties, tiresome people, spoilt children—­though I do delight in Harold and Winnie and Gwynne and Dot and baby, too, for that much—­and—­’

‘And your father,’ quietly suggested Mrs Jones.

’I never thought you would wish me to leave you, Serena.  Those happy, useful days!  The poor, the schools, the church!’