CHAPTER XXXIX

Doctor Crofts Is Turned Out

"Have you heard the news, my dear, from the Small House?" said Mrs Boyce to her husband, some two or three days after Mrs Dale's visit to the squire. It was one o'clock, and the parish pastor had come in from his ministrations to dine with his wife and children.

"What news?" said Mr Boyce, for he had heard none.

"Mrs Dale and the girls are going to leave the Small House; they're going into Guestwick to live."

"Mrs Dale going away; nonsense!" said the vicar. "What on earth should take her into Guestwick? She doesn't pay a shilling of rent where she is."

"I can assure you it's true, my dear. I was with Mrs Hearn just now, and she had it direct from Mrs Dale's own lips. Mrs Hearn said she'd never been taken so much aback in her whole life. There's been some quarrel, you may be sure of that."

Mr Boyce sat silent, pulling off his dirty shoes preparatory to his dinner. Tidings so important, as touching the social life of his parish, had not come to him for many a day, and he could hardly bring himself to credit them at so short a notice.

"Mrs Hearn says that Mrs Dale spoke ever so firmly about it, as though determined that nothing should change her."

"And did she say why?"

"Well, not exactly. But Mrs Hearn said she could understand there had been words between her and the squire. It couldn't be anything else, you know. Probably it had something to do with that man, Crosbie."

1. How many are leaving the aged home?
2. Who are they?
3. Who was gossiping about it to her man?
4. Who was she telling?
1. Three
2. Mrs Dale and the girls
3. Mrs Boyce
4. her husband