Colonel Keith followed his letter at four o'clock, and entering his own study, found it in a cloud of smoke, in the midst of which he dimly discerned a long beard and thin visage absorbed in calculation.
'Edward! How is Ermine?'
'Oh?' (inquiringly) 'Keith!' (as taken by surprise) 'ah! you were to come home to-day. How are you?'
'How is she? Has she had my letter?'
'What letter? You write every day, I thought.'
'The letter of yesterday. Have you heard nothing of it?'
'Not that I know of. Look here, Keith, I told you I was sure the platinum--'
'Your brain is becoming platinum. I must go,' and the chemist remained with merely a general impression of having been interrupted.
Next the Colonel met Rose, watching at his own gate, and this time his answer was more explicit.
'Yes, Aunt Ermine said you were coming, and that I might meet you, but that I must let you come in alone, for she had not seen you so long, that she wanted you all to herself.'
'And how is she; how has she been?'
'She is well now,' said Rose, in the grave, grown-up way she always assumed when speaking of her aunt's health; 'but she has been having a good deal of her nervous headache this summer, and Lady Temple wanted her to see Mr. Frampton, but Aunt Ailie said it was only excitement and wear of spirits. Oh, I am glad you have come back! We have so wearied after you.'
Nevertheless Rose duteously loosed the hand to which she had been clinging till they came to the door; and as Colin Keith opened it, again he was met by the welcoming glances of the bright eyes. This time he did not pause till he was close to her, and kneeling on one knee beside her, he put his arm round her, and held her hands in his.
The first words that passed were, 'You had the letters?'
'Colin, Colin, my one prayer has been, 'Make Thy way plain before my face.''
'And now it is?'
'The suspicion is gone; the displeasure is gone; the doubts are gone; and now there is nothing--nothing but the lameness and the poverty; and if you like the old cinder, Colin, that is your concern;' and she hid her face, with a sort of sobbing laugh.
'And even the haste; you consent to that?'
'I don't feel it like haste,' she said, looking up with a smile, and then crimsoning.
'And Ailie gives leave, and thinks the hurry will not harm you?'
'Ailie! 0 Colin, did you think I could tell any one of your letter, before you had had your answer?'
'Then Edward is not so moonstruck as I thought him! And when shall it be, dearest? Give me as much time as you can. I must go back this day fortnight.'
'I suppose your expectations are not high in the matter of finery,' said Ermine, with a certain archness of voice.
'Those eyes are all the finery I ever see.'
'Then if you will not be scandalized at my natural Sunday dress, I don't see why this day week should not do as well as any other time.'
'Ermine, you are the only woman I ever met totally free from nonsense.'
'Take care, it is very unfeminine and disagreeable to be devoid of nonsense.'
'Very, and therefore you are talking it now! Ermine, how shall I thank you? Not only for the sake of the ease of mind to my poor brother; but in the scenes we are going through, a drop of happiness is wanted as a stimulant. When I looked at the young couple at Bishopsworthy, I often felt as if another half-year of suspense was more than I could bear, and that I must ask you to help me through with at least a definite hope.'
'Ah! you have gone through a great deal I am sure it has been a time of great trouble.'
'Indeed it has. The suffering has become unceasing and often most severe, and there is grievous depression of spirits; I could not have left him even for a day, if he had not been so fervently bent on this.'
'Is he feeling his loss more acutely than at first?'
'Not so much that, as for the poor little boy, who is a heavy burthen on his mind. He has lived in such a state of shrewd distrust that he has no power of confidence, and his complications for making all the boy's guardians check one another till we come to a dead lock, and to make provision for Isabel out of Menteith's reach, are enough to distract the brain of a man in health.'
'Is he fond of the child?'
'It is an oppressive care to him, and he only once has made up his mind to see it, though it is never off his mind, and it is very curious how from the first he has been resolved on your taking charge of it. It is the most real testimony he could give you.'
'It is very comfortable not to be brought in like an enemy in spite of him, as even a year ago I could have been proud to do.'
'And I to have brought you,' he answered, 'but it is far better as it is. He is very cordial, and wants to give up the Auchinvar estate to me; indeed, he told me that he always meant me to have it as soon as I had washed my hands of you--you wicked syren--but I think you will agree with me that he had better leave it to his daughter Mary, who has nothing. We never reckoned on it.'
'Nor on anything else,' said Ermine, smiling.
'You have never heard my ways and means,' he said, 'and as a prudent woman you ought, you know. See,' taking out his tablets, 'here is my calculation.'
'All that!'
'On the staff in India there were good opportunities of saving; then out of that sum I bought the house, and with my half-pay, our income will be very fair, and there would be a pension afterwards for you. This seems to me all we can reasonably want.'
'Unless I became like 'die Ilsebill' in the German tale. After four years of living from hand to mouth, this will be like untold gold. To wish to be above strict economy in wheeled chairs has seemed like perilous discontent in Rose and me.'
'I have ventured on the extravagance of taking the ponies and little carriage off my brother's hands, it is low enough for you, and I shall teach Rose to ride one of the ponies with me.'
'The dear little Rose! But, Colin, there is a dreadful whisper about her going with her father, and Ailie too! You see now his character is cleared, he has been offered a really lucrative post, so that he could have them with him.'
'Does he wish it?'
'I dare not ask. I must be passive or I shall be selfish. You are all my world, and Edward has no one. Make them settle it without me. Talk of something else! Tell me how your brother is to be taken care of.'
'There cannot be a better nurse than Alick Keith; and Ferguson, the agent, is there, getting directions from Keith whenever he can bear it. I am best out of the way of all that. I have said once for all that I will do anything for them except live at Gowanbrae, and I am sick of demonstrating that the poor child's existence is the greatest possible relief to me; and I hope now not to go back till the whole is settled and done with.'
'You look regularly worn out with the discussions!'
'It was an endless business! The only refreshment was in now and then getting over to Bishopsworthy.'
'What? to Rachel?' said Ermine archly.
'Rachel is showing to great advantage. I did not think it was in her to be so devoted to the child, and it is beautiful to see her and Mr. Clare together.'
'There's a triumph,' said Ermine, smiling. 'Do you grant that the happy medium is reached, that Alick should learn to open his eyes and Rachel to shut hers?'
'Well! Her eyes are better, but he, poor lad, has been in no spirits to open his very wide. The loss of his sister went very deep, and those aguish attacks, though they become much slighter, make him look wretchedly ill. I should have doubted about leaving him in charge in his present state, but that he was urgent on me, and he is spared all the night nursing. Any way, I must not leave him longer than I can help. I may have one week with you at home--at our home, Ermine.'
'And let us make the most of that,' said Ermine, quickly.
Meanwhile Alison, sore and sick at heart, wandered on the esplanade, foreboding that the blow was coming that she ought to rejoice at, if her love could only be more unselfish. At last the Colonel joined her, and, as usual,
