'Some urgent domestic niceties I seem to have overlooked for this evening,' they were informed. 'Fortunately Miss Kent remembered.'
But Faro wasn't all sure she was speaking the truth. Her colour had heightened slightly and he felt certain her sharp, uncertain glance had concerned the guests and something more important than was warranted by a housekeeping consultation.
'I trust your rooms are quite comfortable?' At the murmurs of 'Very' and 'Delightful', Lady Elrigg smiled. 'And now, if you will excuse me. We will meet again in the drawing-room at five o'clock.'
'Will Mark be there?' Miss Gilchrist asked in a bewildered voice.
Lady Elrigg took her hands. 'Of course, my dear, of course, he will. Now do enjoy the last of the sunshine while you can.'
When they returned to the house, Mark rushed out to greet them. Exchanging hugs and kisses with a relieved and tearful Miss Gilchrist, he said: 'I so wanted you to be here, I have a very special surprise for you.'
It was a surprise for everyone. In the drawing-room Poppy Elrigg now wore a gown of violet lace and the Elrigg diamonds. Even in humbler attire she would have overshadowed every other female present.
Hector Elrigg arrived with Dr Brand and both greeted the Elriggs with a geniality that raised Faro's eyebrows a little considering how vehemently they had both railed against Sir Archie. Presumably their angry feelings did not extend to his pretty widow and his stepson.
Faro made a mental note that Hector in particular had taken great pains with his appearance. His suit, although a little out of fashion, was considerably smarter than the rough countryman's attire he normally appeared in. Dr Brand too was wearing what Faro suspected was his Sunday best.
The latecomer was Imogen Crowe.
This was indeed a surprise and not a particularly pleasant one for Faro. He suspected he would be seated next to her at dinner. But much was to happen before that.
'Right,' said Mark. 'Now that everyone is here, will you please follow me.' He gave his ex-governess his arm and the group made their way back down the staircase out and across the courtyard to the private chapel which had served the Elriggs of several past generations.
With his hand on the open door, Mark put his arm about Miss Gilchrist. This dear lady, as you all know, has been my mother in every way but the accident of birth. She is the dearest in all the world to me - except for one person,' he smiled, 'and it is appropriate that she should stand by me on my wedding day.'
'Your wedding day!'
There was a very audible gasp from the group at this unexpected announcement. He said: 'Yes, dear friends, I am to be married.' And throwing open the door, he said, There is my bride.'
Standing before Reverend Cairncross at the altar were his wife and, now radiant in her bridal gown, their once-weeping daughter Harriet, whom Faro had met briefly in the churchyard.
Turning to Molly Gilchrist, Mark said: 'I shall want your blessing.'
That you have always had, my dearest boy. I am so happy for you.'
And so they were wed. Poppy Elrigg was obviously delighted and had relished helping Mark plan the event with such great secrecy. As for Faro, he was glad to have been in grave error regarding the affection of two young people drawn together in a trying household.
Reverend Cairncross and his wife were doubtless gratified by this conclusion to their own problem for, without wishing to be indelicate, or stare too heavily, it was obvious that Harriet was pregnant.
The wedding party returned jubilantly indoors to dine in the elegant room with its eighteenth-century damask wall-hangings, faded but still intact. The faces of ghostly bygone Elriggs stared down from the walls at the diners in a setting that was everything an old family servant like Miss Gilchrist could have wished for.
It was also an occasion to provide Faro with some interesting observations and conclusions.
'Miss Kent has asked to be excused,' said Poppy Elrigg. 'She suffers from wretched headaches and this one refuses to disappear.’
Vince offered pills, Aunt Molly offered reliable home remedies seconded very firmly by Imogen, while Olivia and her brother offered sympathy.
'I was hoping to see her again,' murmured Olivia to Vince and when he said 'Really', she put a hand to her lips, glancing at Faro, who had overheard.
'Shh - tell you later.'
As Faro had suspected, Imogen Crowe was seated next to him at the table with Hector on her other side. However, with much good food and wine, particularly the latter, he found himself oddly forgiving and forgetful of her disagreeable qualities. They talked about books and Faro found her also knowledgeable about his own particular favourites, Shakespeare and Mr Dickens.
Quite remarkably so, he thought, and found himself looking at her and remembering what Yarrow had told him about her past. Miss Crowe having survived a gaol sentence and writing books about it would never have been tolerated at most Edinburgh dinner tables. In the society he knew there, she would be shunned, a social outcast.
There was one more event to be celebrated as Reverend Cairncross invited them to raise their glasses in birthday greetings to 'Mark who now inherits the estates of Elrigg and to Sir Hector who now inherits the title,'
In return Mark held up his glass to Hector. 'And you, my dear cousin, have my blessing to excavate the hillfort, the standing stones and any piece of Elrigg that takes your fancy.'
Hector was delighted, and another toast was drunk to his success.
Faro was naturally suspicious of happy endings, but tonight he listened, mellowed by good wine and content with the conversations circling about him.
Across the table, Dr Brand deplored the gypsies' annual presence while Imogen Crowe defended them.
'They're not to be trusted, miss, there's always the danger that they leave our pasture gates open - they are not too fussy about bars and latches, I can tell you.'
They aren't used to gates, Doctor. It is not part
