“None is necessary. We are glad to listen.”
“Come now, Christine, and I will give you medicine for your mother. Gentlemen, in a few minutes I will return here.”
When they were alone the Domine said: “Christine, you did wisely, and your speech was correct and beautiful, but I would advise you to keep your English for special occasions.”
“Sir, not even my father and mother know I can drop the Scotch. When the time comes to tell them, I——”
“Yes, yes. And the villagers? It might be an offense.”
“You are right, Sir.”
“You speak as if you had learned to speak at the Maraschal.”
“Yes, sir. I learned it from Neil. We always talked it together, for Neil hated the dialect, and I made a bargain wi’ him. I promised to talk as he taught me, if he would keep the circumstance from everyone. He said he would, and he has stood by his promise. Sae have I, but I hae been talking English nearly five years now.”
“You wonderful woman! Then this morning you gave yourself away.”