The morning of the day in which he carried his present of fruit and flowers to Rosamund, his sister had observed him more than usually busy in the garden, culling fruit with a nicety of choice not common to him.
She came up to him, unobserved, and, taking him by the arm, inquired, with a questioning smile— "What are you doing, Allan? and who are those peaches designed for?"
"For Rosamund Gray"—he replied—and his heart seemed relieved of a burden which had long oppressed it.
"I have a mind to become acquainted with your handsome friend—will you introduce me, Allan? I think I should like to go and see her this afternoon."
"Do go, do go, Elinor—you don't know what a good creature she is; and old blind Margaret, you will like her very much."
His sister promised to accompany him after dinner; and they parted. Allan gathered no more peaches, but hastily cropping a few roses to fling into his basket, went away with it half-filled, being impatient to announce to Rosamund the coming of her promised visitor.
CHAPTER V.
When Allan returned home, he found an invitation had been left for him, in his absence, to spend that evening with a young friend, who had just quitted a public school in London, and was come to pass one night in his father's house at Widford, previous to his departure the next morning for Edinburgh University.
It was Allan's bosom friend—they had not met for some months—and it was probable a much longer time must intervene before they should meet again.