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Canon Birch, in the drawing-room, heard the loud threatening tones, and was thankful for the door which shut him from Sir Timothy's presence. "He has laid his plans for thwarting my known wishes too well. I do not know what might be said if we stopped him. I I won't have my name made a laughing-stock. I am a Crewys, and the honour of the family lies in my hands.
The doctor hastened round to the hall, intending to enter the drawing-room unobserved, and find out for himself whether Lady Mary had recovered, or whether John Crewys had heartlessly abandoned her to her grief. The brilliant vision Miss Sarah presented, as she stood, drawn up to her full height, in the shaded drawing-room, met his anxious gaze as he entered. "Why, Miss Sarah!
Miss Crewys had, in consequence, long ago pronounced her to be a positive fright; and Lady Belstone had declared that such hair would prove an insuperable obstacle to her chances of getting a husband. "I know she's very young," said Mrs. Hewel, glancing apologetically at her offspring. "But what can I do?
His calm and thoughtful face was turned away from the doctor, who knew very well why John's gaze was so intent upon the group without. "Shall I warn him, or shall I let it alone?" thought Blundell. "I suppose they have been waiting only for this. If that selfish cub objects, as he will I feel very sure of that will she be weak enough to sacrifice her happiness, or can I trust John Crewys?
Sarah's bright face, framed in her white hood, fresh and rosy from the cold breath of the October night, appeared in the doorway. "Peter is in there waiting for you," she whispered, blushing. John Crewys rose from the piano, and came forward and held out his hand to Sarah, with a smile. Lady Mary hurried past them into the unlighted drawing-room.
"You will give John a wrong impression of our worthy neighbours, Mary," said Sir Timothy, pompously. "Personally, I am always glad to see them." "But you don't have to return their calls, Timothy," said Lady Mary. The canon inadvertently laughed. Sir Timothy looked annoyed. Miss Crewys whispered to Lady Belstone, unheard save by the doctor
"Why, I've been soldiering in South Africa for over two years." "I don't think soldiering brings much worldly wisdom in its train. I should be rather sorry to think it did," said Lady Mary, gently. "But Sarah has been with Lady Tintern all this while." "A very worldly woman, indeed, from all I have heard," said Miss Crewys, severely.
Miss Crewys crocheted a shawl with hands so delicately cared for and preserved, that they scarce showed any sign of her great age; her sister wore gloves, as was the habit of both when unoccupied, and she grasped her handkerchief in black kid fingers that trembled slightly with emotion. The canon realized that the old ladies were seriously troubled concerning their sister-in-law's delinquencies.
"John Crewys wants to marry my mother," he said in choking tones. "Is that all?" said Sarah. "I've seen that for ages. Aren't you glad?" "Glad!" said Peter. "I thought," Sarah said innocently, "that you wanted to marry me?" "Sarah!" "Well!" said Sarah. She looked rather oddly at Peter's recumbent figure.
"You will have him all to yourself after this," said John Crewys, smiling down upon Lady Mary during his brief farewell interview, which took place in the oriel window of the banqueting-hall, within sight, though not within hearing, of the two old sisters. "I am sorry to take him off to Brawnton, but I could hardly refuse his company."
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