ring world, before even the first month was over;
but Alick made the proposal so eagerly that she could not help assenting
with all the cordiality she could muster, thinking that it must be a
wretched, disappointing wedding tour for him, and she would at least not
prevent his being happy with his uncle; as happy as he could be with
a person tied to him, of whom all his kindred must disapprove,
and especially that paragon of an uncle, whom she heard of like an
intensification of all that class of clergy who had of late been most
alien to her.

Alick did not press for her real wishes, but wrote his letter, and
followed it as fast as she could bear to travel. So when the train, a
succession of ovens for living bodies disguised in dust, drew up at the
Littleworthy Station, there was a ready response to the smart footman's
inquiry, "Captain and Mrs. Keith?" This personage by no means accorded
with Rachel's preconceived notions of the Rectory establishment, but she
next heard the peculiar clatter by which a grand equipage announces its
importance, and saw the coronetted blinkers tossing on the other side of
the railing. A kind little note of welcome was put into Rachel's hand as
she was seated in the luxurious open carriage, and Alick had never felt
better pleased with his sister than when he found his wife thus spared
the closeness of the cramping fly, or the dusty old rectory phaeton.
Hospitality is never more welcome than at the station, and Bessie's
letter was complacently accepted. Rachel would, she knew, be too much
tired to see her on that day, and on the next she much regretted having
an engagement in London, but on the Sunday they would not fail to meet,
and she begged that Rachel would send word by the servant what time Meg
should be sent to the Rectory for her to ride; it would be a kindness to
exercise her, for it was long since she had been used.

Rachel could not help colouring with pleasure at the notion of riding
her own Meg again, and Alick freely owned that it was well thought of.
He already had a horse at his uncle's, and was delighted to see Rachel
at last looking forward to something. But as she lay back in the
carriage, revelling in the fresh wind, she became dismayed at the
succession of cottages of gentility, with lawns and hedges of various
pretensions.

"There must be a terrible number of people here!"

"This is only Littleworthy."

"Not very little."

"No; I told you it was villafied and cock