“No, but if it doesn’t come to light pretty soon, I’m going to tell cousin Adair. I’m almost afraid to do that, because he values the ring almost as much as I. He saw it once, he said, when he was in Scotland, and he was proud to think that it came to me. Now I’ve lost it, and I’m sure he’ll think that I’ve been very careless.”
“It doesn’t matter what he thinks,” Bess said firmly. “You’d better tell him right away. If someone has stolen it, he’s the only one that can find the culprit. Come on, let’s go downstairs now. Or do you want me to hunt first?”
“Yes, do that.” Nan did dread telling Adair MacKenzie of her loss.
Bess looked thoroughly, but nowhere could she find the ring.
So together, the two girls went down the stairs, Bess this time in the role of comforter.
They found Adair out in the gardens talking as best he could with an old gardener who knew at least a few words of English. Adair looked up at their entrance.
“So you like flowers, too,” he greeted them. Nan nodded her head, and then couldn’t say anything for a few minutes.
“Why, what’s the matter, Nancy child,” Adair was all sympathy as he noted the worried look on the girl’s face. “Nothing serious, I hope.”
“I’m afraid it is,” Nan answered. “You know my ring—”
“The sapphire ring that you brought home from Scotland?” Adair said.