Brack’s knock broke the peace like a hammer, and through the wind they heard the dogs bark, springing, bristling, on guard. Wolf came presently to the door.
He let them in at once when he knew them, for talk without was impossible, but they found more bewilderment than welcome waiting them.
What, for the land’s sake, had brought them out on such a night at such an hour, scaring folks out of their senses? Brack, exhausted with his fight, was almost speechless, but Francey broke into the kitchen with her woman’s wit alive and ready.
They’d been worrying about them at Ladyford, she explained quickly. They felt lonely, somehow, with Ninekyrkes at hand empty, and their old friends such a way off. It was the first wild night for many and many a winter that they had spent so far apart. Brack had been calling with his car, so she’d taken it into her head to come along with him to have a look at them. Father was down at Sandwath, at Mr. Shaw’s supper, or he’d have been over himself. And there was news, too, clamouring to be out.
Kneeling between the dogs and spreading her cold fingers to the flame, she told them of Lup’s return, startling the whole neighbourhood by its apparent lack of reason. Brack fidgeted in the background, chafing to get at their chief cause for coming, but she checked him with a look. There was only one way of working to that.
Wolf dropped back into his chair, clinging to his stick, interrogation, wrath and wonder stamped out in turn by unwilling and sharply-suffocated joy, but the old woman said nothing, smiling and staring on into the fire. She did not even look surprised, Francey thought. Had she summoned him back at the last moment? How strange and reasonless it all was! And what would be the end?
Catching Brack’s agonised glance of entreaty, she went on hurriedly, laying her hand on the mother’s knee.
Lup was at the hotpot with Denny, but there was more than a chance Michael would bring him back to Ladyford. He’d never get out to the Pride to-night on foot, and he’d be wearying to see them. Wouldn’t they venture the short run in Brack’s car, in the hope that he might turn up? Her mother was looking for them, and with the wind at their back they’d not be more than five minutes on the way. Like as not, they would find Lup waiting on the doorstep. They must wrap up warm, and with the dickey seat they could manage, somehow. She could sit on the step.
She got no further than that, for Wolf growled her into silence with the utmost fierce contempt, having battered down his first delight. He was like to gang scuttering off to meet yon wastrel as had ought to be well loosed out o’ dock by now—ay, wasn’t he! He’d see him strung afore he stirred a foot on such a night to reach Ladyford or any spot in the kingdom! The news could well have kept while morning. They might have spared themselves their trouble, and the sooner they were away and back at home the better for all concerned. Mrs. Whinnerah stared and smiled.
Brack broke in, then, bursting into a torrent of entreaty and command.