“And I was so taken by surprise at the sudden meeting with my father that I forgot even to inquire after the darlings! I beg your little pardons!” said Judy, kneeling by the side of the children’s cot and kissing their sleeping faces.
At dinner the newly arrived visitors met the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, who had been invited to meet them. Jennie—the Countess Dowager of Engelmeed—being in deep mourning for her husband, did not go out or receive visitors.
A week of idleness on the part of all the family followed at Haymore Hall.
After that questions of importance were taken up.
It was decided that The O’Melaghlin, with Mr. and Mrs. Hay and Mr. and Mrs. Stuart and Mike, should set out on an excursion to Arghalee Castle and find lodging at Arghalee Arms, and from that vantage point investigate the ancient ruins and see what could be done toward the successful restoration of the castle, also open negotiations with the duke’s legal steward if possible to repurchase all the land that had once constituted the Arghalee estate.
All this was happily effected in the course of a few months—for The O’Melaghlin stopped at nothing in his eager desire to restore the ancient magnificence and splendor of his house; and so he paid twice the worth of the land to get it back, and fabulous sums to the antiquaries and architects to restore the castle and the chapel in all their pristine strength and glory.
The Stuarts remained at Haymore until the last of the summer and then bade affectionate adieus to the Hays and returned to Virginia.
This was the first of many visits, which the Hays often returned.
That autumn Mike was entered as Michael O’Melaghlin, master of Arghalee, in one of the best preparatory colleges in Glasgow.
That winter, when “Burke’s Landed Gentry” appeared, under the name of Hay it contained this item: