“And the heart of the mother, also, Joris.”  She drew close to him, and laid her arm across his broad shoulders; and he took his pipe from his lips and turned his face to her.  “Kind and wise art thou, my husband; and whatever is thy wish, that is my wish too.”

“A good woman thou art.  And what pleasure would it be to thee if Katherine was a countess, and went to the court, and bowed down to the king and the queen?  Thou would not see it; and, if thou spoke of it, thy neighbours they would hate thee, and mock thee behind thy back, and say, ’How proud is Lysbet Van Heemskirk of her noble son-in-law that comes never once to see her!’ And dost thou believe he is an earl?  Not I.”

“That is where the mother’s love is best, Joris.  What my neighbours said would be little care to me, if my Katherine was well and was happy.  With her sorrow would I buy my own pleasure?  No; I would not so selfish be.”

“Would I, Lysbet?  Right am I, and I know I am right.  And I think that Neil Semple will be a very great person.  Already, as a man of affairs, he is much spoken of.  He is handsome and of good morality.  The elders in the kirk look to such young men as Neil to fill their places when they are no more in them.  On the judge’s bench he will sit down yet.”

“A good young man he may be, but he is a very bad lover; that is the truth.  If a little less wise he could only be!  A young girl likes some foolish talk.  It is what women understand.  Little fond words, very strong they are!  Thou thyself said them to me.”

“That is right.  To Neil I will talk a little.  A man must seek a good wife with more heart than he seeks gold.  Yes, yes; her price above rubies is.”

At the very moment Joris made this remark, the elder was speaking for him.  When he arrived at home, he found that his wife was out making calls with Mrs. Gordon, so he had not the relief of a marital conversation.  He took his solitary tea, and fell into a nap, from which he awoke in a querulous, uneasy temper.  Neil was walking about the terrace, and he joined him.

[Illustration:  He took his solitary tea]

“You are stepping in a vera majestic way, Neil; what’s in your thoughts, I wonder?”

“I have a speech to make to-morrow, sir.  My thoughts were on the law, which has a certain majesty of its own.”

“You’d better be thinking o’ a speech you ought to make to-night, if you care at a’ aboot saving yoursel’ wi’ Katherine Van Heemskirk; and ma certie it will be an extraordinar’ case that is worth mair, even in the way o’ siller, than she is.”

The elder was not in the habit of making unmeaning speeches, and Neil was instantly alarmed.  In his own way, he loved Katherine with all his soul.  “Yes,” continued the old man, “you hae a rival, sir.  Captain Hyde asked Van Heemskirk for his daughter this afternoon, and an earldom in prospect isna a poor bait.”

“What a black scoundrel he must be!—­to use your hospitality to steal from your son the woman he loves.”