“Would you do that?”
“Would I not?”
She was at the open door of the room as she spoke, and Neil said with provoking indifference: “If you are seeing Father, you might speak to him anent the books I am needing.”
“I’ll not do it! What are you feared for? You’re parfectly unreasonable, parfectly ridic-lus!” 28 And she emphasized her assertions by her decided manner of closing the door.
On going into the yard, she found her father standing there, and he was looking gravely over the sea. “Feyther!” she said, and he drew her close to his side, and looked into her lovely face with a smile.
“Are you watching for the fish, Feyther?”
“Ay, I am! They are long in coming this year.”
“Every year they are long in coming. Perhaps we are impatient.”
“Just sae. We are a’ ready for them—watching for them—Cluny went to Cupar Head to watch. He has a fine sea-sight. If they are within human ken, he will spot them, nae doubt. What hae you been doing a’ the day lang?”
“I hae been writing for Neil. He is uncommon anxious about this session, Feyther.”