business of ours, as you say? Only, dear, you needn't have said it quite
so pointedly. Of course I'll call as soon as I can in decency; she may
let me be of use to her. Oh, bother Mrs. Venables! If she doesn't call,
no doubt many others won't; you must remember that he has never
entertained as yet. Oh, what a dance they could give! And did you hear
what she said about his age? He is sixty-five, now!"

The vicar laughed. It was his habit to let his young wife rattle on when
they were alone, and even lay down the law for him to her heart's
content; but, though fifteen years her senior, and never a vivacious
man himself, there was much in their life that he saw in the same light
as she did, though never quite so soon.

"Sixty-five!" he suddenly repeated, with a fresh chuckle; "and last
year, when Sybil was thought to be in the running--poor Sybil, how well
she took it!--last year her mother told me she knew for a fact he was
not a day more than five-and-forty! Poor Steel, too! He has done for
them both in that quarter, I am afraid. And now," added Hugh, in his
matter-of-fact way, as though they had been discussing theology all this
time, "I must go back to my sermon if I am to get it done to-night."




CHAPTER X

A SLIGHT DISCREPANCY


Mrs. Woodgate paid the promised call a few days later, walking briskly