“Did you not tell me that she and the Curtises spent the evening with you?”

“Yes, it was rather shocking to receive them without you, but it was the only way of being altogether on Rachel’s one evening here; and it was very amusing, Mrs. Curtis so happy with her daughter looking well and bright, and Rachel with so much to tell about Bishopsworthy, till at last Grace, in her sly odd way, said she thought dear Alexander had even taught Rachel curatolatry; whereupon Rachel fired up at such an idea being named in connexion with Mr. Clare, then came suddenly, and very prettily, down, and added, ’Living with Alick and Mr. Clare has taught me what nonsense I talked in those days.’”

“Well done, Rachel!  It proves what Alick always said, that her great characteristic is candour!”

“I hope she was not knocked up by the long night journey all at one stretch.  Mrs. Curtis was very uneasy about it, but nothing would move her; she owned that Alick did not expect her, for she had taken care he should not object, by saying nothing of her intention, but she was sure he would be ill on Wednesday morning, and then Mrs. Curtis not only gave in directly, but all we married women turned upon poor Grace for hinting that Alick might prefer a day’s solitary illness to her being over-tired.”

“She was extremely welcome!  Alick was quite done for by all he had gone through; he was miserably ill, and I hardly knew what to do with him, and he mended from the moment his face lightened up at the sight of her.”

“There’s the use of strength of mind!  How is Alick?”

“Getting better under M’Vicar and Edinburgh winds.  It was hard on him to have borne the brunt of all the nursing that terrible last week, and in fact I never knew how much he was going through rather than summon me.  His sauntering manner always conceals how much he is doing, and poor Keith was so fond of him, and liked his care so much that almost the whole fell upon him at last.  And I believe he said more that was good for Keith, and brought in Mr. Clare more than perhaps I should ever have been able to do.  So though I must regret having been away, it may have been the best thing.”

“And it was by your brother’s earnest wish,” said Ermine; “it was not as if you had stayed away for your own pleasure.”

“No!  Poor Keith repeatedly said he could not die in peace till he had secured our having the sole charge of his son.  It was a strong instinct that conquered inveterate prejudice!  Did I tell you about the will?”

“You said I should hear particulars when you came.”

“The personal guardianship is left to us first, then to Alick and Rachel, with £300 a year for the expenses.  Then we have Auchinvar.  The estate is charged with an equivalent settlement upon Mary, a better plan, which I durst not propose, but with so long a minority the estate will bear it.  Alick has his sister’s fortune back again, and the Menteith children a few hundreds; but Menteith is rabid about the guardianship, and would hardly speak to Alick.”