Elizabeth was always fully employed on a Sunday, and on that which followed
the Consecration she had perhaps more on her hands even than usual, so that
she had little opportunity for speaking, or even for thinking, of her troubles.
Mr. Woodbourne was going to assist Mr. Somerville in the services at St.
Austin's, leaving Mr. Walker to do the duty at St. Mary's, as the old church was
now to be always called.
Mr. Somerville had asked Mrs. Woodbourne to bring all her party to luncheon at
his house, and had added a special invitation to the children to be present at the
opening of the new Sunday-school, which was to take place between the
services. It was however necessary that someone should stay and superintend
what the young people called, rather contemptuously, 'the old school;' and this
Elizabeth undertook, saying that she did not like to lose one Sunday's teaching of
her own class. Anne was about to offer to remain with her and assist her, but on
Helen's making the same proposal, she thought it better to give the sisters an
opportunity of being alone together, and, as she was more desirous of doing right
than of appearing eager to be useful, she said nothing of what she had intended.
Elizabeth was much gratified by her sister's voluntary proffer of assistance, for
the head and front of Helen's offences on her return from Dykelands, had been,
that she had loathed the idea of helping to train the screaming school-girls to sing
in church, and had altogether shewn far less interest in parish matters than
Elizabeth thought their due.
'I am sure,' said Elizabeth, as they were walking from school to church, 'it is worth
while to stay to see the aisle now it is clear of the benches, and there is breathing
room left in the dear old church. And listen to the bells! does not it seem as if the
two churches were exchanging greetings on St. Austin's first Sunday? Yes, St.
Mary's is our home, our mother church,' added she, as she walked under the
heavy stone porch, its groined roof rich with quaint bosses, the support of many a
swallow's nest, and came in sight of the huge old square font, standing on one
large column and four small ones, where she herself and all her brothers and
sisters had been christened.
The three little children were not to go to St. Austin's in the morning, but
Katherine had promised to come back to fetch them in time for the luncheon at
Mr. Somerville's, and thus Dora had the full advantage of studying the
Puddington monument before the service began.
Katherine and Harriet came back whilst Elizabeth and Helen were at luncheon,
and after giving them a list of half the people who were at church, they called the
children to come to Mr. Somerville's with them.
