“He never said a word about his relationship, to me.”
“It would have been most unlike him had he done so, but I can tell you, he wrote me before my marriage, and advised me to be very cautious with Mr. Neil Ruleson.”
“I will send for him,” said Christine, a little coldly, and then she drew the conversation towards the Raths and Ballisters. “Were they closely connected with Doctor Trenabie?” she asked.
“In a distant way,” said Roberta, “but they are firm friends, for many generations.”
“The Domine does not talk much about himsel’.”
“No. He never did. He vowed himself early in life to chastity and poverty, for Christ’s sake, and he has faithfully kept his vow. Old Ballister gave him the kirk of Culraine at fifty pounds a year, and when the death of his father made him a comparatively rich man, he continued his humble life, and put out all the balance of his money in loans to poor men in a strait, or in permanent gifts, when such are necessary. Reginald used to consider him a saint, and many times he said that if I was married to a good man, he would try and live such a life as Magnus Trenabie.”
“Once I knew Colonel and Angus Ballister.”
“I heard Angus lately boasting about his acquaintance with you—that is since your book has set the whole newspaper world to praising you.”
“He is married. I saw him with his bride.”