But his mind was made up that he would not leave Achree until he had seen Isla by herself to bid her good-bye.
He was in no haste--he never was in any of the affairs of life--having proved that most things come to the man who bides his time. But perhaps just there he made one mistake, arising from ignorance of the quick Celtic temperament, which cannot brook slowness or delay.
Isla's eyes met his just once across the room, and there was quite clearly a message for him in the look. It bade him wait.
When all the tea had been served, and she had answered as composedly as she could the remarks made to her by Neil, she rose and quite deliberately walked across the room to the place where Rosmead stood talking to her Uncle Tom.
"You have a long way to go back to Glasgow, Mr. Rosmead. Are you in haste to leave us?"
"Not in haste to leave you, but I must be going soon. Can I speak with you for a few minutes?"
"Yes, it is why I have come. Will you come down to the library?" she said.
And Neil Drummond, with eyes that had something of the baleful glow of the watch-fires in them, had the chagrin of beholding them leave the room together, as if it were quite a matter of course.
"Don t you think that American bounder has presumed a lot to-day, Malcolm?" he said gruffly to Mackinnon, who happened to pass near him at the moment.
Malcolm looked the surprise he felt.