But in other respects she had little to complain of.
After answering her husband's first inquiries, she questioned him about his plans for the day.

He had letters to write which would occupy him until twelve o'clock.

At two o'clock he expected the volume of the _Times_ to arrive, and he should then devote the rest of the afternoon to his work.

After hearing what his plans were, Mrs.Carling suggested that he should ride out after he had done his letters, so as to get some exercise at the fine part of the day; and she then reminded him that a longer time than usual had elapsed since he had been to see a certain old pensioner of his, who had nursed him as a child, and who was now bedridden, in a village at some distance, called Tringweighton.

Although the rector saw no immediate necessity for making this charitable visit, the more especially as the ride to the village and back, and the intermediate time devoted to gossip, would occupy at least two hours and a half, he assented to his wife's proposal, perceiving that she urged it with unusual earnestness, and being unwilling to thwart her, even in a trifle, at a time when she was ill.
Accordingly, his horse was at the door at twelve precisely.