CHAPTER XV.
PORTLOSSIE.
Mr Crathie, seeing nothing more of Malcolm, believed himself at last well rid of him; but it was days before his wrath ceased to flame, and then it went on smouldering. Nothing occurred to take him to the Seaton, and no business brought any of the fisher-people to his office during that time. Hence he heard nothing of the mode of Malcolm’s departure. When at length in the course of ordinary undulatory propagation the news reached him that Malcolm had taken the yacht with him, he was enraged beyond measure at the impudence of the theft, as he called it, and ran to the Seaton in a fury. He had this consolation, however: the man who had accused him of dishonesty and hypocrisy had proved but a thief.
He found the boat-house indeed empty, and went storming from cottage to cottage, but came upon no one from whom his anger could draw nourishment, not to say gain satisfaction. At length he reached the Partan’s, found him at home, and commenced, at hap-hazard, abusing him as an aider and abettor of the felony. But Meg Partan was at home also, as Mr Crathie soon learned to his cost; for, hearing him usurp her unique privilege of falling out upon her husband, she stole from the ben end, and having stood for a moment silent in the doorway, listening for comprehension, rushed out in a storm of tongue.
“An’ what for sudna my man,” she cried, at full height of her screeching voice, “lay tu his han’ wi’ ither honest fowk to du for the boat what him ’at was weel kent for the captain o’ her, sin’ ever she was a boat, wantit dune? Wad ye tak the comman’ o’ the boat, sir, as weel ’s o’ a’ thing ither aboot the place?”
“Hold your tongue, woman,” said the factor; “I have nothing to say to you.”
“Aigh, sirs! but it’s a peety ye wasna foreordeent to be markis yersel’! It maun be a sair vex to ye ’at ye’re naething but the factor.”
“If ye don’t mind your manners, Mistress Fin’lay,” said Mr Crathie in glowing indignation, “perhaps you’ll find that the factor is as much as the marquis, when he’s all there is for one.”
“Lord safe ’s! hear till ’im!” cried the Partaness. “Wha wad hae thoucht it o’ ’im? There’s fowk ’at it sets weel to tak upo’ them! His father, honest man, wad ne’er hae spoken like that to Meg Partan; but syne he was an honest man, though he was but the heid-shepherd upo’ the estate. Man, I micht hae been yer mither—gien I had been auld eneuch for ’s first wife, for he wad fain hae had me for ’s second.”
“I’ve a great mind to take out a warrant against you, John Fin’lay, otherwise called the Partan, as airt an’ pairt in the stealing of the Marchioness of Lossie’s pleasure-boat,” said the factor. “And for you, Mistress Fin’lay, I would have you please to remember that this house, as far at least as you are concerned, is mine, although I am but the factor, and not the marquis; and if you don’t keep that unruly tongue of yours a little quieter in your head, I’ll set you in the street the next quarter day but one, as sure ’s ever you gutted a herring, and then you may bid good-bye to Portlossie, for there’s not a house, as you very well know, in all the Seaton, that belongs to another than her ladyship.”
“’Deed, Mr Crathie,” returned Meg Partan, a little sobered by the threat, “ye wad hae mair sense nor rin the risk o’ an uprisin’ o’ the fisher-fowk. They wad ill stan’ to see my auld man an’ me misused, no to say ’at her leddyship hersel’ wad see ony o’ her ain fowk turned oot o’ hoose an’ haudin’ for naething ava.”