“Why didn’t you let us know of your illness before?” exclaimed Lady Nancy reproachfully. “We are your friends.”
Robert flushed painfully. “My miserable health was brought on and aggravated solely by my headstrong, thoughtless carelessness, and I felt so heartily ashamed of myself that I sought to conceal from all friends my real condition, but ’tis out at last. How long I will be confined to the house, God alone knows,” and he sighed deeply.
“Do not give yourself up to despondency, my lad,” encouraged the Duke brightly, “nor speak the language of despair. You must get well.”
“Indeed I must!” returned Robert grimly, “for I have three strong, healthy boys and if I am nipt off at the command of fate—gracious God! what would become of my little flock?” and a look of distraction swept over his face at the thought.
“Don’t distress yourself needlessly, Robert!” exclaimed the Duke kindly. Then he continued earnestly, “If anything should happen to you, if you should be taken off before I am called, I promise that the children of Robert Burns shall never come to want.”
“’Twould be a lasting disgrace to Scotland,” flashed Lady Nancy with kindling eyes.
Robert grasped the Duke’s hand impulsively. “God bless ye for your noble assurance!” he cried. “Ye have lifted a heavy weight of care and anxiety off my mind.”
“Why, father!” suddenly exclaimed Lady Nancy, “I vow if you are not forgetting your principal errand here.” He looked at her with a puzzled frown. “Mr. Burns’ promotion,” she reminded him laughingly.
“Gad zooks!” he exclaimed in amazement, jumping to his feet. “What an old dolt I am, to be sure.” Hastily diving his hand in the inside pocket of his elaborate, black-flowered satin square-cut, he pulled out a long paper with a red seal attached and handed it to the now bewildered Robert, who, after a quick glance at their smiling faces, opened the paper and quickly read its contents. Then he gave a gasp, followed by an ejaculation of delighted surprise and gratification.