"What ails ye, lass?" asked the old lady brusquely. "You look as if ye had the wail of the pibroch in your ears."
"I've had a letter from Malcolm, Lady Betty."
"Well? And is he ill pleased about you and Neil?"
"Oh, no. He tells me he is engaged to Mrs. Rodney Payne. I want to go home, Lady Betty."
Lady Betty sat back in her chair, set her eyeglass more firmly on her aristocratic old nose, and looked Isla straight in the face.
"What for do ye want to go home?"
"If I could tell you I would," she answered simply. "You have the gift, and you know that when the call comes one does not question, but just rises up to obey. That is how it is with me. The Glen is calling me. There is something for me to do at the Lodge of Creagh."
Isla spoke quite quietly, and the old lady neither flouted nor rebuked her.
"It's very unfortunate. Do you know that every day for the next month is filled up? And you have been such a success here and so many wish to know you that we need not have an idle hour."
"I shall have to go," was all that Isla said.