“Oblige me by informing my daughter,” he said, “that I request her, for the sake of avoiding scandal, to return to her father’s house until she is of age.”
“And in the mean time you undertake—”
“I undertake nothing,” shouted the laird, in his feeble, woolly, yet harsh voice.
“Then I refuse to carry your message. I will be no bearer of that from which, as soon as delivered, I should dissuade.”
“Allow me to ask, are you a minister of the gospel, and stir up a child against her own father?”
“I am not here to bandy words with you, Mr. Galbraith. It is nothing to me what you think of me. If you will engage not to urge your choice upon Miss Galbraith, I think it probable she will at once return to you. If not—”
“I will not force her inclinations,” said the laird. “She knows my wish, and she ought to know the duty of a daughter.”
“I will tell her what you say,” answered the minister, and took his departure.
When Gibbie heard, he was not at all satisfied with Mr. Sclater’s interference to such result. He wished to marry Ginevra at once, in order to take her from under the tyranny of her father. But he was readily convinced it would be better, now things were understood, that she should go back to him, and try once more to gain him. The same day she did go back, and Gibbie took up his quarters at the minister’s.
Ginevra soon found that her father had not yielded the idea of having his own way with her, but her spirits and courage were now so good, that she was able not only to endure with less suffering, but to carry herself quite differently. Much less afraid of him, she was the more watchful to minister to his wants, dared a loving liberty now and then in spite of his coldness, took his objurgations with something of the gaiety of one who did not or would not believe he meant them, and when he abused Gibbie, did not answer a word, knowing events alone could set him right in his idea of him. Rejoiced that he had not laid hold of the fact that Glashruach was Gibbie’s, she never mentioned the place to him; for she shrunk with sharpest recoil from the humiliation of seeing him, upon conviction, turn from Fergus to Gibbie: the kindest thing they could do for him would be to marry against his will, and save him from open tergiversation; for no one could then blame him, he would be thoroughly pleased, and not having the opportunity of self-degradation, would be saved the cause for self-contempt.