"So ye're back again, Mrs. Marcella? I knew we'd be getting ye back soon. And bringing two men with ye!"
He shook hands gravely with Andrew and gave Louis a swift, appraising look that seemed to satisfy him.
"Your aunt's getting a wee bit frail, Mrs. Marcella! So I brought the old machine along."
They climbed into the machine—his old, high dog-cart, and drove along through tearing winds which were like the greeting embraces of friends to Marcella. The doctor told her all the news; all about the new babies, and the few deaths and illnesses while she had been away. The dashing of the water on the beach came to them. He told her that Jock had been washed from his little boat one rough night, and his body had never been found. The reek of the green wood fires came to them on the salt breeze.
"What's that remind you of, Louis?" she asked him.
"Gorse!" he said with a grimace.
"I love it!" she said simply.
The door of Wullie's hut stood open. He was silhouetted dark against the light within. The doctor drew up.
"Must stop and speak to Wullie," he said rather apologetically, to Louis. The old man came out and stood looking at Marcella. He did not seem a day older.
"So ye're back again, Marcella?" he said. "I knew ye'd be back! I knew ye'd soon wear the wings off yer feet! But ye're not well?"