“At all events, she’s going to marry you,” David re-assured him. “She mentioned the fact to me, casually. And she’s going to buy up Elgin right and left, and build a new Skirl Castle as big as Olympia, and generally make everything else north of the Grampians ‘sing small’—I believe that’s the phrase.”
The Earl assimilated this intelligence with a kindling eye. “Man, it’s fine!” he cried, as the prospect spread itself out before his mental vision. “Ah, poor Davie, you dinna ken what it is to be in love!”
Mosscrop sighed. “When you talk Scots, Archie,” he said, “I know it’s going to cost me money. I foresee that you’ll kick about the bill. But, hurry, man, and catch up with them. She’s quite capable of flouncing out of the house, and dragging her father along, too, while the fit is on her; and that would only mean more bother to coax them back. Come on!”
He started at a brisk pace in pursuit, and Drumpipes strode eagerly beside him. They overtook their guests on the very threshold of the door, and the Earl called out a breathless, entreating “Adele!” The girl, upon reflection, turned, and surveyed the pair with an austere eye.
“Wait a moment, papa,” she said in her coldest tone; “one of these two gentlemen seems to feel authorised to address me by my Christian name, and apparently has also some communication to make to us.”
“Well,” stammered Drumpipes, hesitatingly, “there’s an awfully good luncheon been ordered, you know.”
Mosscrop emitted an abrupt, resonant note of laughter, and in the silence which ensued displayed violent muscular efforts to keep a grin from convulsing his face.
Adele preserved the severity of her aspect for a little. “I think it might occur to you, Lord Drumpipes,” she began, markedly addressing her remarks to the rightful bearer of the title, “that after what has happened—and on this point, I can assure you my father feels exactly as I do——”
She stopped here, with the effect of appealing to her father for immediate confirmation of their inflexible joint attitude.
“I need scarcely observe,” began Mr. Skinner, putting up his pince-nez and looking down upon the two young men with sternness from the vantage of the door-step, “that whatever course my daughter deems it consistent with her dignity to pursue, in the face of the extraordinary, and, I may confidently add, unprecedented circumstances which we are called upon to—to confront, has my most unswerving adhesion.”