The foster-sisters

by Lucy Ellen Guernsey

"His mother was at him night and day to take a wife, but he would not listen to her, and they say there used to be awful scenes betwixt them, for she was a Percy and proud as Lucifer, and he was as dour and obstinate as all the rest of the Leighton men—craving your pardon, mem." This to Amabel.

"I don't think I am very dour—am I, Lucy?" said Amabel smiling.

"You are never obstinate about little matters!" I answered. "But I think if you once made up your mind that a thing was right or wrong, you would be torn with wild horses before you would give up."

"And so much the better for her!" said Elsie. "And so my dawties—I beg your pardon—young leddies I should say—things got worse and worse between the young lord and his mother. At last the auld leddy began to have her suspicions, and she watched; and by and by she found sure enough, that her son was secretly married to a young lass, the only child of a poor old man who lived on the estate."

"Aweel it's a sad story, and hardly fit for young ears, only to show what pride may lead weak and sinful mortals to do. The leddy went to see the poor thing, who was no' weel at the time, and persuaded her to take a medicine she brought her, which should make her well and strong. She took it, fell into fits and in an hour was dead. Her father was like one wild, and when the lord came that very evening to visit his wife, the auld man up and tauld him the whole story, and showed him the draught that was left—for she had na taken it all. The young lord gave it to a dog that followed him, and the poor creature died directly."

"You may guess that the young lord and his mother did not meet on friendly terms. He charged her with murder to her face, and she owned it and gloried in it, and dared him to revenge it on her—the wicked creature—and he swore an awful oath, that now he would never marry at all, unless he married a she wolf—for that alone would be fit to mate with his mother. And then he flung away, and rode like one possessed through the mirk winter's night, and it was weeks before he returned. They say, that as he spoke his rash words, the long mournful howl of a wolf was heard in the woods so near the house that they both started—for though there were wolves in plenty in the Cheviot hills in those days, they did not often come near any dwelling."

"I hope there are none about here now?" said I, for I had heard stories enough about these creatures in France, to make me dreadfully afraid of them.

"Na, na! there's no wolf been seen in these parts for more than fifty years—not since I was a young maid like you. I heard tell that auld Lochiel killed one in Scotland not so long ago, but the Cameron's country is far away from here in the Highlands.

"Aweel, to go on with the tale. It was toward spring when my lord came home, and he was not alone; he had brought a wife with him, whom he had married in Scotland. He gave out that she belonged to one of the clans of the West Highlands, and that he had saved her from great danger, but what he did not say. She was a beautiful creature as you may see by her picture, and kind enough to her servants; but that was about her, which made her more feared than loved. She had bright eyes of the kind called hazel in these parts, but when she was angered or excited, they glowed like balls of green fire, and the servants declared they even shone in the dark. She was very civil to her mother-in-law, but soon let her know that she meant to be mistress in her own house, and after one trial the old lady never attempted to take the high hand again.

"Aweel, the time went on, and all through the summer there were merry-makings of all sorts; but when cold weather came, the lady was na weel, and kept her room, and nothing could make her stir out of doors, though doctor and nurse thought it would be much better for her. The wolves were very bold that winter, and came nearer the Hall than they had ever done before. The lady was dreadfully afraid of them, and when their long howls used to be heard, she would cling to her husband and hide her face in his neck. Neither would she thole his joining any of the hunting parties set out against the wolves, and it was a great vex to him no doubt, for he was a keen hunter, but it behooved him to pleasure his wife whatever it cost.