Dr. Balloch found Peter sitting at breakfast with Suneva, in his usual cheerful, self-complacent mood. In fact, he knew nothing of Margaret’s flight from his house. She rarely left her boy to join the tea-table; she never appeared at the early breakfast. Her absence was satisfactory to both parties, and had long ceased to call forth either protest or remark. So neither of them were aware of the step she 220 had taken, and the minister’s early visit did not connect itself with her, until he said gravely to Peter, “Dost thou know where thy daughter is?”
“She hath not left her room yet,” answered Suneva; “she sleeps late for the child’s sake.”
“She hath left thy house, Peter. Last night I gave her and the child shelter from the storm.”
Peter rose in a great passion: “Then she can stay away from my house. Here she comes back no more.”
“I think that, too. It is better she should not come back. But now thou must see that her own home is got ready for her, and that quickly.”
“What home?”
“The house thou gave her at her marriage.”
“I gave her no house. She had the use of it. The title deeds never left my hands.”
“Then more shame to thee. Did thou not boast to every one, that thou had given the house and the plenishing? No title deeds, no lawyer’s paper, can make the house more Margaret Vedder’s than thy own words have done. Thou wilt not dare to break thy promise, thou, who ate the Bread of Remembrance only 221 last Sabbath Day. Begin this very hour to put the house in order, and then put the written right to it in her hands. Any hour thou may be called to give an account; leave the matter beyond disputing.”
“It will take a week to glaze and clean it.”