Chapter III: Luke's Mother

Mrs. Greville blinked as she opened the drawing-room door and faced the bright light. Her economical soul saw at a glance that all three lights were lighted, but she refrained from making a remark.

Loving her son as she did, she had come determined to make friends with his probably incapable wife, and knew that to remark at the very beginning on the reckless extravagance displayed, would not help her resolve. So she merely blinked, and for a moment shaded her eyes with her hand, saying, "My eyes are not used to such brilliance."

Rachel also had suddenly come to a determination on hearing her husband's mother's footstep. She recognised the fact that the future might depend on her present attitude towards Mrs. Greville, and was resolved for the sake of her love for Luke to make the best of it. She there-fore met her mother-in-law with a smile and outstretched hand. She was not quite prepared for the hearty kiss that was given, but she was pleased, as it seemed to put her in the right position of a daughter-in-law rather than as her son's unsatisfactory wife.

"How kind of you to come," she said.

"I promised Luke that I would do everything in my power to make his wife feel at home," answered Mrs. Greville, taking Rachel's hand and drawing her on to the sofa, "and when I found that he was going out to-night I was afraid you might be feeling a little forlorn; so I made up my mind to run round. I think he ought to have arranged better than to have a meeting the first evening."

The fact that Rachel had been conscious herself of a feeling of disappointment and of surprise that he should leave her so soon, made her wince at the words, and colour. Her pride was touched.

"But of course," she said, "he could not shirk his duty. He knew that I should have objected to him doing so." And as she made this remark, she imagined that she was saying the truth. So easy is it to deceive ourselves, particularly when our enemy pride is to the front.

"I'm glad to hear you are so sensible," said Mrs. Greville, "or I am afraid you would have to suffer continual disappointment. Luke's work is the first thing with him, and always will be. Neither mother nor wife will be allowed to come in its way. He is the hardest worker that I know. But just because of this he has to be looked after well."

"How do you mean?"

"Creature comforts are nothing to him. If he lived by himself I really don't know when he would think of food. If ever I went away for a week or two I found him looking shockingly ill on my return and generally discovered that he had not been punctual at his meals, and would have been quite happy to have gone without them altogether. You will have to look after him Rachel. By-the-bye, what did he have for his meal before going out?"

"You kindly sent round some eggs."

"Ah yes. Of course there was no time to cook anything else. But you will have to be careful about the eggs. They are 4d each at present. And," she added warily, "if I were you, my dear, I should not burn more than one light in this small room. Three are quite unnecessary. Electric light is extremely expensive unless you are careful. Of course you know that you ought to put it out every time you leave the room, even though it may be only for a minute or two."

"No," said Rachel, "I don't know anything about electric light. We used lamps at home. Is it really necessary to be so careful? I don't want to be always thinking of money." She gave a little laugh, but happily Mrs. Greville did not recognise the scorn in the tone of voice or in the laugh.

"Yes indeed, it is necessary, that is to say if you don't want to pay a big bill. My son is not a rich man."

To Rachel who had never had to think of these matters, the restrictions that were being laid down seemed absurd. She scarcely knew whether she felt more inclined to be angry or to laugh. She turned the conversation by asking if Polly could cook.

"No," said Mrs. Greville. "You will have to teach her. She is a very quick little girl and will easily learn."

"I am afraid she will learn nothing from me," said Rachel, "Could we not have had some older servant under the circumstances? I think I shall have to go to a registry office to-morrow. Which is the best one?"

"Servants are very difficult to get and I don't suppose that you and Luke could afford a really good one. No, your wisest plan is to keep on little Polly, and I will come round and teach you both. I will bring a cookery book with me and mark the most economical dishes for you."

"Thank you," said Rachel, faintly. The prospect was not exhilarating, but she knew the proposal was made in kindness, and after all both she and Luke must have food, specially Luke apparently! Her spirits were sinking to zero.

"And now I shall leave you," said Mrs. Greville rising. She glanced at Rachel, and noticed that she was looking tired and not particularly bright, so she added kindly, "Don't worry. It seems strange at first, no doubt, but you will soon get into our ways. You look as if you needed a night's rest after your journey. I hope Luke will not keep you sitting up for him to a late hour. He forgets everything when he is interested in his work. I shall have to give him a hint that he must go slowly for a time, and consider his wife."

Rachel flushed. The idea of his mother telling him of his duty to his wife was repugnant in the extreme. She could not endure the thought. It hurt her pride.

"Please do nothing of the sort," she exclaimed. "I don't wish Luke to come home a minute earlier for my sake. His work must come first."

Mrs. Greville not knowing how her words had stung her daughter-in-law, and being quite unconscious of the storm that she had raised in her heart, gave her a warm kiss as she left, saying, "That's right. That is the way to keep Luke's love. I am glad to hear you give out your views like that. I was a little afraid you might not see things in that light, but be somewhat exigent. Goodnight. I know you will do all you can to help my dear boy in his work. And be sure you feed him well."

Rachel turned away, and put her hands up to her hot face. "I can't, I can't love her," she murmured. "I never shall. I've never met that type of person before. Oh! I hope she won't spoil it all!"

Rachel indulged in a few tears, and then set to work to think what she could give her husband on his return from the meeting. She went to look in the larder and found a good sized piece of cheese and some macaroni.

Evidently Mrs. Greville had thought of macaroni and cheese for their supper, but Rachel had no idea how to make it.

"We must have the cheese for supper Polly," she said. "Lay the table in good time and then if Mr. Greville is late you can go to bed. I'm going to finish my unpacking."

About half an hour later Polly knocked at her door saying, with a broad smile, "Mrs. Greville has just been and left two meat pies, Ma'am, and said I was to be sure to ask you to see that the master eats them both as he'll be mighty hungry; but I think you ought to have one of 'em."

Rachel laughed—how queer and surprising everything was—particularly Polly.

Polly went to bed at nine, and Rachel sat down to read and to wait. It was past ten o'clock before she heard her husband's footstep.

She ran to meet him at the door. He put his arm round her as after hanging up his hat they made their way into the dining-room.

"How did the meeting go off?" she asked.

"Excellently. And I had congratulations from all sorts of people on my marriage. They are arranging a large At Home in the Parish Room in your honour, at which I am told their congratulations are to take a more tangible form. They are wonderfully hearty people, and I'm impatient for you to know them."

They sat down to supper and Rachel found that she had no difficulty in persuading her husband to eat both pies. He was so engrossed with the account of the meeting that he never noticed what he was eating or that his wife had to content herself with bread and cheese. Neither did he question as to where the pies came from. In fact he was hardly conscious that he was eating pies at all! Rachel felt sure that it would have made no difference to him if he had had only bread and cheese like herself to eat. His enthusiasm for his work was as good as food to him. She loved him for it, but she wondered at the same time if he had forgotten that this was the first evening they had spent in their home, and she was conscious of a little pain at her heart to which she would pay no attention.

But suddenly he looked across at her as if he had just awakened to the fact of her presence, saying, "What could I want more! God—work—and you! It is all more wonderful than I even anticipated."

And Rachel registered a vow in her heart; "I will never worry him with my stupid fears and littlenesses, and I will pray night and morning to be made more worthy of him;" but her sensitive spirit did not fail to notice that "you" came last.