TWILIGHT by JULIA FRANKAU

Author:JULIA FRANKAU [FRANKAU, JULIA]
Language: eng
Format: epub

11

Sunday morning the church bells were chiming against the blue sky in the clear air. Both invalids were better. The reports Gabriel received whilst he sat over his solitary breakfast were to the effect that Miss Stanton had slept well and was without headache, she sent word also of her intention to go to church if it were possible. Stevens herself told him that Mrs. Capel would be coming down at eleven o’clock or half-past, having had an excellent night. He was not to stay in for her.

“Can you tell me how far off is the nearest church?”

Stevens was fully informed on the matter. There were two almost within equal distance.

“Not more than a quarter of an hour to twenty minutes away. The nearest is the ’ighest. ” Stevens was a typical English maid, secretly devoted to her mistress, well up in her duties but with a perpetual grievance or list of grievances. “Not that I get there myself, not on Sunday mornings, since I’ve been here.”

Gabriel was sympathetic. Contempt, however, was thrown upon his suggestion of the afternoon.

“Children’s services and such-like, no thank you!”

As for the evenings Stevens said “they was mostly hymns.” He detained her for a few minutes, for was she not Margaret’s confidential maid, compensating her, too, for her lack of religious privileges. He told her to tell her mistress he would walk to church with his sister and then return, that he looked forward to seeing her if she were really better. Otherwise she was not to think of rising.

“She’ll get up right enough. I’m to have her bath ready at ’alf-past ten.”

When Anne came down he walked with her over the common-land, bright with gorse and broom that lay between Carbies and the higher of the two churches, heard how Anne had lain awake and then how she had slept, sure of the intervention of Mrs. Roope. Her headache had completely disappeared.

“You did send that telegram, didn’t you?”

Gabriel assured her that the telegram had been duly despatched. “She must have started on me at once. She is a good creature. I wish you were more sympathetic to it. You’ve never once been with me to a meeting.”

“But I have not put anything in the way of your going.”

“Oh, yes! I know how good you are. Which reminds me, Gabriel, about Mrs. Capel. We must talk things over when we get home. You must not do anything in a hurry. I heard about her fainting away last night. It is not only that she is a widow, and terribly delicate, her maid tells me, but she takes no care of herself, none at all. What a rate you are walking at; I’m sure we have plenty of time, the bells are still going. I can’t keep up with you.” He slowed down. “As I was saying, I shouldn’t like you to be more particular with her until we have talked things over together. Of course as far as her delicacy is concerned, we might persuade her to see Mrs.

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