Lady Crossways, hearing of this delightful visit, had sent down a whole boxful of gaudy and unsuitable clothes for Leucha; but Hollyhock, with her true and rare eye for colour, would not let Leucha be so attired. She spoke privately to the Duke.
'Ardshiel,' she remarked, 'is your purse still wide open?'
'For you, my lassie; for you.'
'But I want it to be wide open for another,' said Holly.
'Well, I must do as you wish, Hollyhock, my blessing. I suppose you want me to'——
'Hark and I 'll tell you,' said Hollyhock, putting her pretty mouth to the old man's ear.
The result of that whisper was that two boxes of clothes arrived from the most expensive dressmaker in London, and the old Duke, who had a passion for dress and for good taste in all respects, presented the contents of one box to his beloved Holly, and the contents of the other to Leucha.
'There, lass; there,' he said. 'Your mother won't mind your wearing a present from the Duke of Ardshiel. Take them and wear them while you are here. They were chosen by Holly, who has the best taste in the whole country round.'
Leucha forced herself to admire the rich, quiet clothing which the Duke and Hollyhock had chosen for her, and wonderful was the change for the better in her appearance. She had her own maid, too, while at the Castle, who managed to make the most of her scanty locks.
On the whole Leucha was not quite unhappy while at this noble mansion, but neither was she quite happy. The Duke had a piercing eye, and when it flashed on her she seemed to shrink into herself.