David came in his shirt-sleeves, for he had been fetched from his work.
‘If I understand your answer to my request, Mr. Barclay, you decline to send back Mr. Gordon’s pony. Pray, on what grounds?’
‘I wrote, ma’am, that I should be glad to give him over to Mr. Francis himself.’
‘Mr. Gordon does not find it convenient to come all this way on foot. In fact he declines to do it, and requests that you will send the pony home this afternoon.’
‘Excuse me, mem, but it’s surely enough done that a man make known the presence o’ strays, and tak proper care o’ them until they’re claimt! I was fain forbye to gie the bonny thing a bit pleesur in life: Francie’s ower hard upon him.’
‘You forget, David Barclay, that Mr. Gordon is your landlord!’
‘His father, mem, was my landlord, and his father’s father was my father’s landlord; and the interests o’ the landlord hae aye been oors. Ither nor Francie’s herty freen’ I can never be!’
‘You presume on my late husband’s kindness to you, Barclay!’
‘Gien devotion be presumption, mem, I presume. Archibald Gordon was and is my freen’, and will be for ever. We hae been throuw ower muckle thegither to change to ane anither. It was for his sake and the laddie’s ain that I wantit him to come to me. I wantit a word wi’ him aboot that powny o’ his. He’ll never be true man ’at taks no tent (care) o’ dumb animals! You ’at’s sae weel at hame i’ the seddle yersel, mem, micht tak a kin’ly care o’ what’s aneth his!’
‘I will have no one interfere with my son. I am quite capable of teaching him his duty myself.’