His children. He was a God very far off to
Bryda Palmer, as to the great majority of girls in her position of life,
and, indeed, in any position of life, in the last decades of the
eighteenth century.

The sermon was a dry dissertation to which no one listened, to judge by
the number of sleepers in the pews, who woke with a start when the organ
pealed forth the welcome tidings that the service was over.

At the door of the cathedral Bryda saw, to her great discomforture, Mr
Bayfield.

He smiled and made a low bow, which Bryda returned by a curtsey, and
then was passing on laden with her heavy books, when the Squire said,
'Permit me,' putting his hand on the heavy Bible.

'No; I thank you, sir,' Bryda said, and Mrs Lambert turned sharply
round.

'Miss Palmer, you will oblige me by attending to your duties.'

'Indeed, madam,' Mr Bayfield said, 'I think Miss Palmer is scarce fitted
to bear these heavy books. I venture to take them from her, by your
leave.'

'Sir,' Mrs Lambert said, bridling, 'I have not the honour of your
acquaintance.'

'This is Mr Bayfield,' poor Bryda said, a blush suffusing her fair face
and a look of almost terror in her eyes.

'Is he a friend of yours, Miss Palmer?'

'Oh, no,' Bryda said fervently; 'no.'

'Nay. That is cruel, too cruel, Miss Palmer.' Then in a lower voice he
said, 'The month expires on this day three weeks. I shall expect, nay
demand my reply at that date.'

Then, with another bow, his three-cornered hat in his hand, Mr Bayfield
turned away.

But Bryda had not seen the last of him. The midday dinner was not over
when the large brass knocker on Mr Lambert's door thundered against it,
and took Sam to open it in hot haste. He returned quickly to say,--

'A gentleman wishes to see you, sir, on business.'

'Then tell him I don't see clients on Sunday, but at my office in Corn
Street on week days. What does he mean by bringing the house down like
that?'

Sam disappeared, but returned again to say,--

'The gentleman desires to see you, sir, on a private matter.'

'Tell him to walk into the study and wait my convenience. I am eating my
dinner, if he must know.'

Bryda felt certain the visitor was Mr Bayfield, who must have followed
her and Mrs Lambert home from the cathedral, and so discovered where she
lived.

She was determined to escape another interview with the Squire, and as
soon as she had helped Sam to clear away the glass and china, she gave
Mrs Lambert h