‘Was that you who were singing just now, Miss Garston?’ he asked presently, looking at me with some attention.

‘Yes,’ I returned.  ’You seem surprised.  Surely you have heard me sing at Hyde Park Gate?’ But he shook his head very decidedly.

‘I should not have forgotten your voice if I had once heard it,’ he said, in such a pleasant manner that the straightforward compliment did not embarrass me.  ’You ought not to let such a talent rust, Miss Garston:  the vicar must utilise you for our Penny Readings.’

I was horrified at this notion, and told him very seriously that nothing would induce me to sing on a platform, but that it was not my intention to let it rust, only I had my own ideas how best to utilise it.

He looked curious at this, but I changed the subject by asking him if he would like to see Mrs. Marshall.  He hesitated, coloured slightly as though the question were distasteful, then he put down Janie from his knee,—­for the child had clambered up again,—­and said the vicar had undertaken the case, as he was rather new to the work, but he would see her if I wished it.

I was provoking enough to say that I did wish it, for I wanted him to see the comfortable appearance of the room that he so dreaded to enter.  I felt sorry for Mr. Tudor in my heart that his work should be so distasteful to him:  he was a fine, manly young fellow, who would have made a splendid sailor or soldier, but sick-rooms and old women were not to his taste, and yet he was very gentle and sympathising in his manners, and all the poor people liked him.

Granny was dozing by the fire, and the baby was asleep on the mother’s bed, and as I opened the door I quite enjoyed Mr. Tudor’s start of astonishment at the changed scene.  I did not let him stay long, but I thought his kind looks and pleasant voice would cheer poor Mary.  He said very little to either her or Elspeth, but what he said was sensible and to the point.

I sent him away after this, for my work was waiting for me.  He went off laughing, and protesting that he had no idea that I had taken up the role of a charitable charwoman, and that the vicar would remonstrate with me on the subject.

I think we all felt the brighter for Mr. Tudor’s little visit, though he had said nothing specially clever; but he was an honest, genial creature, and I liked him thoroughly.  I stopped at the cottage late that evening, for Mrs. Marshall wanted a letter written to her husband, and I could not refuse to do it.  I was almost too tired to enjoy Kingsley that night, and found myself dozing over it, so I shut it up and went to bed.

Mr. Hamilton did not make his appearance until later the next day, when I was presiding over the children’s dinner.  I had just carried in a plate of lentil soup to granny, whom I now kept entirely in the sick-room, as she was too old to bear the children’s noise, and the constant draughts from the opening door would soon have laid her on a sick-bed.  I had baby in my lap, and was feeding her when he looked in on us.