Rachel Ray

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Trollope Anthony. Rachel Ray

Vol. I

CHAPTER I. THE RAY FAMILY

CHAPTER II. THE YOUNG MAN FROM THE BREWERY

CHAPTER III. THE ARM IN THE CLOUDS

CHAPTER IV. WHAT SHALL BE DONE ABOUT IT?

CHAPTER V. MR. COMFORT GIVES HIS ADVICE

CHAPTER VI. PREPARATIONS FOR MRS. TAPPITT'S PARTY

CHAPTER VII. AN ACCOUNT OF MRS. TAPPITT'S BALL – COMMENCED

CHAPTER VIII. AN ACCOUNT OF MRS. TAPPITT'S BALL – CONCLUDED

CHAPTER IX. MR. PRONG AT HOME

CHAPTER X. LUKE ROWAN DECLARES HIS PLANS AS TO THE BREWERY

CHAPTER XI. LUKE ROWAN TAKES HIS TEA. QUITE LIKE A STEADY YOUNG MAN

CHAPTER XII. RACHEL RAY THINKS "SHE DOES LIKE HIM."

CHAPTER XIII. MR. TAPPITT IN HIS COUNTING-HOUSE

CHAPTER XIV. LUKE ROWAN PAYS A SECOND VISIT TO BRAGG'S END

CHAPTER XV. MATERNAL ELOQUENCE

Vol. II

CHAPTER I. RACHEL RAY'S FIRST LOVE-LETTER

CHAPTER II. ELECTIONEERING

CHAPTER III. DR. HARFORD

CHAPTER IV. MR. COMFORT CALLS AT THE COTTAGE

CHAPTER V. SHOWING WHAT RACHEL RAY THOUGHT. WHEN SHE SAT ON THE STILE, AND HOW SHE WROTE HER LETTER AFTERWARDS

CHAPTER VI. MRS. RAY GOES TO EXETER, AND MEETS A FRIEND

CHAPTER VII. DOMESTIC POLITICS AT THE BREWERY

CHAPTER VIII. MRS. RAY'S PENITENCE

CHAPTER IX. THE ELECTION AT BASLEHURST

CHAPTER X. THE BASLEHURST GAZETTE

CHAPTER XI. CORNBURY GRANGE

CHAPTER XII. IN WHICH THE QUESTION OF THE BREWERY IS SETTLED

CHAPTER XIII. WHAT TOOK PLACE AT BRAGG'S END FARM

CHAPTER XIV. MRS. PRIME READS HER RECANTATION

CHAPTER XV. CONCLUSION

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There are women who cannot grow alone as standard trees; – for whom the support and warmth of some wall, some paling, some post, is absolutely necessary; – who, in their growth, will bend and incline themselves towards some such prop for their life, creeping with their tendrils along the ground till they reach it when the circumstances of life have brought no such prop within their natural and immediate reach. Of most women it may be said that it would be well for them that they should marry, – as indeed of most men also, seeing that man and wife will each lend the other strength, and yet in lending lose none; but to the women of whom I now speak some kind of marriage is quite indispensable, and by them some kind of marriage is always made, though the union is often unnatural. A woman in want of a wall against which to nail herself will swear conjugal obedience sometimes to her cook, sometimes to her grandchild, sometimes to her lawyer. Any standing corner, post, or stump, strong enough to bear her weight will suffice; but to some standing corner, post, or stump, she will find her way and attach herself, and there will she be married.

Such a woman was our Mrs. Ray. As her name imports, she had been married in the way most popular among ladies, with bell, book, and parson. She had been like a young peach tree that, in its early days, is carefully taught to grow against a propitious southern wall. Her natural prop had been found for her, and all had been well. But her heaven had been made black with storms; the heavy winds had come, and the warm sheltering covert against which she had felt herself so safe had been torn away from her branches as they were spreading themselves forth to the fulness of life. She had been married at eighteen, and then, after ten years of wedded security, she had become a widow.

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"No, mamma; – don't. Don't think evil of me."

"I never did, my darling."

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