“Oh, he must have heard the facts from some of the people at the chapel.”
“If he had he would not believe them, Macdonald says, on any other authority than his. Nor will he leave his post till he finds the body, or—”
“Or sees me,” cried Lady Carse, laughing. “Come, let us go and call to him, and tell him he may leave off poking among the weeds. Come; I will show you the way.”
And she ran on with the spirits and pace of a girl. Mr and Mrs Ruthven looked at each other with smiles, and Mrs Ruthven exclaimed, “What a charming creature this was, and how shocking it was to think of her cruel fate.” Mr Ruthven shook his head and declared that he regarded the conduct of her persecutors with grave moral disapprobation. Meantime Lady Carse looked back, beckoned to them with her hand, and stamped with her foot, because they were stopping to talk.
“What a simple creature she is! So childlike!” exclaimed Mrs Ruthven.
“We must quicken our pace, my dear,” replied her husband. “It would not be right to detain the lady when she wishes to proceed.”
But now Lady Carse was beckoning to somebody else—to little Kate Ruthven, who, with her brother Adam, was peeping from the door of their new home.
“Come, Katie,” said her mother, “don’t you see that Lady Carse calls you? Bring Adam, and go with us.”
Kate turned very red, but did not come. Lady Carse came laughing back to fetch them; but they bolted into the house, and, when still pursued, scrambled under a bed. When caught, they screamed.
“Well, to be sure,” cried their mother; “what behaviour when a lady asks you to go with her! I declare I am quite ashamed.”