Lady Joan returned her salute, little impressed with the honour
done her, but recognizing that she was in the presence of a
gentlewoman. She took the laird's seat at his invitation, and,
leaning forward, gazed wearily at the fire.
The next moment, a not very pleasant-looking old man entered,
supported on one side by Cosmo and on the other by Agnes. They had
had no little difficulty in waking him up, and he entered vaguely
supposing they had arrived at an inn where they were to spend the
night. If his grumbling and swearing as he advanced was SOTTO VOCE,
the assuagement was owing merely to his not being sufficiently
awake to use more vigour. The laird left the lady and advanced to
meet him, but he took no notice of him, regarding his welcome as
the obsequiousness of a landlord, and turned shivering towards the
fire, where Grizzie was hastening to set him a chair.
"The fire's the best flooer i' the gairden, an' the pig's the best
coo i' the herdin', my lord," she said--an old saw to which his
lordship might have been readier to respond, had he remembered that
the PIG sometimes meant the stone jar that held the whisky.
As soon as Lord Mergwain was seated, Cosmo drew his father aside,
told him the names of their guests, and in what difficulty he had
found them, and added that the lady and the horses were sober
enough, but for the other two he would not answer.
"We have been spending some weeks at Canmore Castle in Ross-shire,
and are now on our way home," said Lady Joan to Mistress Warlock.
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