The truth was that Alfred did feel a little uncomfortable this evening, and was not sorry to be away from the house for a short time.  He was one of those young men who will pursue an end out of mere obstinacy, and who, through default of imaginative power, require an event to declare itself before they can appreciate the ways in which it will affect them.  This marriage of his sister with a man of the working class had possibly, he now felt, other aspects than those which alone he had regarded whilst it was merely a matter for speculation.  He was not seriously uneasy, but wished his mother had been somewhat less precipitate.  Well, Adela could not be such a simpleton as to be driven entirely counter to her inclinations in an affair of so much importance.  Girls were confoundedly hard to understand, in short; probably they existed for the purpose of keeping one mentally active.

Letty found Mrs. Waltham sitting alone, she too seemingly not in the best of spirits.  There was something depressing in the stillness of the house.  Mrs. Waltham had her volume of family prayers open before her; her handkerchief lay upon it.

‘She is naturally a little—­a little fluttered,’ she said, speaking of Adela.  ’I hoped you would look in.  Try and make her laugh, my dear; that’s all she wants.’

The girl tripped softly upstairs, and softly knocked at Adela’s door.  At her ‘May I come in?’ the door was opened.  Letty examined her friend with surprise; in Adela’s face there was no indication of trouble, rather the light of some great joy dwelt in her eyes.  She embraced Letty tenderly.  The two were as nearly as possible of the same age, but Letty had always regarded Adela in the light of an elder sister; that feeling was very strong in her just now, as well as a diffidence greater than she had known before.

‘Are you happy, darling?’ she asked timidly.

’Yes, dear, I am happy.  I believe, I am sure, I have done right.  Take your hat off; it’s quite early.  I’ve just been reading the collect for to-morrow.  It’s one of those I have never quite understood, but I think it’s clear to me now.’

They read over the prayer together, and spoke of it for a few minutes.

‘What have you brought me?’ Adela asked at length, noticing a little parcel in the other’s hand.

’It’s a book I have been asked to give you.  I shall have to explain.  Do you remember lendinglending someone your “Christian Year"?’

The smile left Adela’s face, and the muscles of her mouth strung themselves.

‘Yes, I remember,’ she replied coldly.

’As I was walking back from Agworth this afternoon, he overtook me on the road and asked me to return it to you.’

‘Thank you, dear.’

Adela took the parcel and laid it aside.  There was an awkward silence.  Letty could not look up.

‘He was going to see Mr. Wyvern,’ she continued, as if anxious to lay stress on this.  ‘He seems to know Mr. Wyvern very well.’