The lady with the white lock held out her hand.

"You have heard Professor Stepton speak of Mr. Malling, haven't you?"
added the rector to his wife.

"Indeed I have," she answered.

She smiled again kindly, and as if resolved to throw off her depression
began to talk with some animation as they all walked together toward the
street. Directly they reached it the rector said:

"Are you engaged to lunch to-day, Mr. Malling?"

"No," answered Malling.

Lady Sophia turned to him and said:

"Then I shall be informal and beg you to lunch with us, if you don't mind
our being alone. We lunch early, at one, as my husband is tired after his
morning's work and eats virtually nothing at breakfast."

"I shall be delighted," said Malling. "It's very kind of you."

"We always walk home," said the rector.

He sighed. It was obvious that he was in low spirits after the failure of
the morning, but he tried to conceal the fact, and his wife tactfully
helped him. Malling praised the music warmly, and remarked on the huge
congregation.