Yesterday morning passed as the afternoon before had passed, in further discussion of naval statistics with Tiel—with a background of Eileen. Then we had lunch, and soon afterwards Tiel put on an oilskin coat and went out. A thin fine drizzle still filled the air, drifting in clouds before a rising wind and blotting out the view of the sea almost completely. Behind it the ships were doing we knew not what; certainly they were not firing, but we could see nothing of them at all.
A little later Eileen insisted on putting on a waterproof and going out too. As the minister's sister she had to visit a farm, she said. I believed her, of course, though I had ceased to pay much attention to Tiel's statements as to his movements. I knew that he knew his own business thoroughly, and I had ceased to mind if he had not the courtesy to take me into his confidence. After all, if I come safely out of this business, I am not likely to meet such as Tiel again!
Left to myself, I picked up a book and had been reading for about a quarter of an hour when I was conscious of a shadow crossing the window and heard a step on the gravel. Never doubting that it was either Eileen or Tiel, I still sat reading until I was roused by the sound of voices in the hall, just outside the parlour door. One I recognised as our servant's, the other was a stranger's. I dropped my book and started hastily to my feet, and as I did so I heard the stranger say—
"I tell you I recognise her coat. My good woman, d'ye think I'm blind? I'm coming in to wait for her, I tell you."
The door opened, and a very large stout gentleman appeared, talking over his shoulder as he entered.
"When Miss Holland comes in, tell her Mr Craigie is waiting to see her," said he; and with that he closed the door and became aware of my presence.
For a moment we looked at one another. My visitor, I saw, had a grey beard, a large rosy face, and twinkling blue eyes. He looked harmless enough, but I eyed him very warily, as you can readily believe.
"It's an awful wet day," said he in a most friendly and affable tone.
I agreed that it was detestable.
"It's fine for the crops all the same. The oats is looking very well; do you not think so?"