Mr.
Cardinal was strange in his behaviour, certainly. It was a pity that
Miss Purves came. But it's better not to discuss it."
"I don't agree," said Maggie. "If you think that I'm ashamed of
Uncle Mathew you're quite wrong. He's very unhappy and lonely--" She
felt her voice tremble. "He hasn't got any one to look after him--"
Grace's hand was trembling as she nervously crumbled her bread.
Still without looking at Maggie she said:
"By the way, you did the church flowers this morning didn't you,
eh?"
Maggie turned white and, as always on these occasions, her heart
thumped, leaping, as it seemed, into the very palms of her hands.
"But it was to-morrow--" she began.
"You remember that I told you three days ago that it was to be this
morning instead of the usual Thursday because of the Morgans'
wedding."
"Oh, Grace, I'm so sorry! I had remembered, I had indeed, and then
Lucy suddenly having that chill--."
Paul struck in. "Really, Maggie, that's too bad. No flowers to-
morrow? Those others were quite dead yesterday. I noticed at
evensong . . . Really, really. And the Morgans' wedding!"
Maggie sat there, trembling.
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