It was not the same when Anne flew into the Vicarage with the
rapturous announcement, 'Here's Martyn!' The vicar was gone to a
clerical meeting, and Mrs. Fordyce said nothing about staying to see
him. The luncheon was a necessity, but with quiet courtesy Martyn
was made to understand that he was regarded as practically out of
reach, and 'Oh, mamma, he could come and sleep,' was nipped in the
utterance by 'Martyn is busy with his studies; we must not disturb
him.' This was a sufficient intimation that Mrs. Fordyce did not
intend to have the pupils dropping in on her continually, and making
her house their resort; and while Martyn was digesting the rebuff,
the governess carried Anne off to prepare for a music lesson, and
her mother gave no encouragement to lingering or repeating the
visit.
Still Martyn, on his way homewards, based many hopes on the return
of Mr. Fordyce; but all that ensued was, three weeks later, a note
regretting the not having been able to call, and inviting the whole
party to a great school-feast on the anniversary of the dedication
of the first of the numerous new churches of Beachharbour. There
was no want of cordiality on that occasion, but time was lacking for
anything beyond greetings and fleeting exchanges of words. Parson
Frank tried to talk to Martyn, bemoaned the not seeing more of him,
declared his intentions of coming to the farm, began an invitation,
but was called off a hundred ways; and Anne was rushing about with
all the children of the place, gentle and simple, on her hands.
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