One Sunday morning Izz Huett returned from church, and spoke privately to Tess.
‘You was not called home[1] this morning.’
‘What?’
‘It should ha’ been the first time of asking to-day,’ she answered, looking quietly at Tess. ‘You meant to be married New Year’s Eve, deary?’
The other returned a quick affirmative.
‘And there must be three times of asking. And now there be only two Sundays left between.’
Tess felt her cheek paling; Izz was right; of course there must be three. Perhaps he had forgotten! If so, there must be a week’s postponement, and that was unlucky. How could she remind her lover? She who had been so backward was suddenly fired with impatience and alarm lest she should lose her dear prize.
A natural incident relieved her anxiety. Izz mentioned the omission of the banns to Mrs. Crick, and Mrs. Crick assumed a matron’s privilege of speaking to Angel on the point.
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- ↑ ‘Called home’—local phrase for publication of banns.
