'Why,' said Luke, worked up into a sort of frenzy by the very
thought--' why, of asking you to take poor dead-and-gone missus's
place!'

The colour mounted to Lucy Fennel's face. She cast a reproachful look
on her lover, and seemed ready to cry; but woman's pride came to her
aid, and she left the dairy, as if afraid to hear another of Luke's
terrible words. Had the young man not gone out immediately, he might
have heard ill-suppressed sobs issuing from the room into which the
maiden had shut herself. 'She is afraid to face me,' said Luke to
himself as he crossed the courtyard. 'No, no, she can't deceive me,
though she is trying.'

The directions Damerel gave to the workmen that afternoon were so
injudicious, that his master happening to overhear him tell a ditcher
to fill up a drain which ought to have been opened, gave him a severe
reprimand. Luke received what was said with the worst feelings,
continually repeating to himself, 'Ah, he has a spite against me now.
He did not make that girl his housekeeper for nothing. _I'm_ not
wanted here, I can see.'

When work was over, it happened that as Luke was returning to his own
cottage he met young Larkin, a neighbouring farmer's son, who asked
him to accompany him to Honiton, where he was going to 'see the
sodgers,' a regiment being about to pass through the town on its way
to form part of Plymouth garrison. To beguile the care which
tormented him, he gladly consented, and having gone home to put on
his Sunday clothes, was soon equipped for the evening's expedition.
The two friends had to pass Modbury's parlour window, and it was
tea-time. Luke cast an inquisitive glance towards it, and trembled