“Quite himself. Up to a prodigious amount of indoor croquet. But how has it gone?”
“Such a shame!” returned Lady Temple. “They acquitted the dreadful man, and the poor woman, whom he drove to it, has a year’s imprisonment and hard labour!”
“Acquitted! What, is he off?”
“Oh, no, no! he is safe, and waiting for the Assizes, all owing to the Colonel and little Rose.”
“He is committed for the former offence,” said Colonel Keith; “the important one.”
“That’s right! Good night! And how,” he added, reining back his horse, “did your cousin get through it?”
“Oh, they were so hard on her!” cried Lady Temple. “I could hardly bring myself to speak to Sir Edward after it! It was as if he thought it all her fault!”
“Her evidence broke down completely,” said Colonel Keith. “Sir Edward spared her as much as he could; but the absurdity of her whole conduct was palpable. I hope she has had a lesson.”
Alick’s impatient horse flew on with him, and Colin muttered to Alison under his mufflers,—“I never could make out whether that is the coolest or the most sensitive fellow living!”