'Ah! I never can remember! It is so peculiar!'
'Peculiarly pretty,' said Lord Ernest. 'It puts one in mind of all sorts of pleasant associations.'
'It is Scottish, after Miss Hepburn,' said Robina, severely turning from him.
'Yes,' said Miss Martha. 'It is a very old name with us, but we never called my sister by it; we call her by her name of Elizabeth, it is less romantic but more sensible.' And Miss Martha, frightened at speaking so like Isabella, laughed a little to diminish the stern effects.
Robina hoped to shake off Lord Ernest by joining them, and said politely, 'I did not know you were here.'
'Harry and I thought we would just come over to see what the learned men think of the poor old place; but after all, it is only Mr. Milwright, and one can hear him any day, so we came round just to have a look at the old conservatories, which I used to dote on.'
'You have had some luncheon?'
'Yes, thank you, we got some cold pigeon pie. My dear, what a pity your sister did not apply to me! I could have recommended her to Patakake, who always did things for us. Whom could you have had?'
'Kerenhappuch,' said Robina solemnly, for, in spite of all her trouble, she was awake to the fun of the thing, and she greatly tickled Lord Ernest by the tone and the name.
'Well, so Miss Martha said, but I could not believe it. Done entirely at home?'