On their return journey they visited the ruins of old Nancy Dobbell’s cottage. Harvey McGregor made one remark which explains much.
“That old woman,” he said, “alone knew my secret.”
Passing onwards towards the forest, Kenneth ventured to ask for the first time about Jessie Grant.
“Heigho!” replied Harvey; “I cared not to mention it in my letter, but that family were in reduced circumstances even before the father and mother died; now poor Jessie lives at Helensburgh in a humble cottage with her aunt.”
“And she is not—”
“No, not married.”
A thrill of joy went through Kenneth’s heart. It was not unaccompanied by a kind of satisfied feeling of pride. He could not quite forget the time when proud Mr Redmond offered him the position of ghillie on his premises.
Need I say that Kenneth soon found Jessie out? She was more beautiful than ever in his eyes.
Archie and Kenneth took rooms at Helensburgh—for sake of the fishing. At least Kenneth said it was for sake of the fishing; but he did not look Archie quite straight in the face when he made the remark.
When, after a few weeks, Kenneth proposed marriage to Jessie, his offer was—refused.