“We will wait a few minutes longer. There is no haste,” said Graeme, quietly.
Graeme sat a long time looking out of the window before they came—so long that Nelly came up-stairs again intending to expostulate still, but she did not; she went down again, quietly, muttering to herself as she went,—
“I’ll no vex her. She has her ain troubles, I daresay, with her young brother going away, and many another thing that I ken nothing about. It would ill set me to add to her vexations. She is not at peace with herself, that’s easy to be seen.”
Chapter Thirty.
Graeme was not at peace with herself and had not been so for a long time, and to-night she was angry with herself for having spoiled Will’s pleasure, by letting him see that she was ill at ease.
“For there is no good vexing him. He cannot even advise me; and, indeed, I am afraid I have not the courage really to go away.”
But she continued to vex herself more than was wise, as she sat there waiting for the rest in the gathering darkness.
They came at last, but not at all as they ought to have come, with the air of culprits, but chatting and laughing merrily, and quite at their leisure, accompanied—to Nelly’s indignant satisfaction—by Mrs Grove. Graeme could hardly restrain an exclamation of amusement as she hastened toward the door. Rose came first, and her sister’s question as to their delay was stopped by a look at her radiant face.