“Is it not? What is it, then? The bairn is not in earnest. I hope it may all come to a good ending.”
“Oh! Janet! I hope it may. But I don’t like to think of endings. Rosie must belong to some one else some day, I suppose. The best thing I can wish for her is that I may lose her—for her sake, but it is not a happy thing to think of for mine.”
“Miss Graeme, my dear, that is not like you.”
“Indeed, Janet, it is just like me. I can’t bear to think about it. As for the minister—” Graeme shrugged her shoulders.
“You needna trouble yourself about the minister, my dear. It will no’ be him. If your friend yonder would but take heart of grace—I have my own thoughts.”
“Oh! I don’t know. We need not be in a hurry.”
“But, dear, think what you were telling me the other day, about your sister going out by herself to seek her fortune. Surely, that would be far worse.”
“But she would not have to go by herself. I should go with her, and Janet, I have sometimes the old dread of change upon me, as I used to have long ago.”
“But, my dear, why should you? All the changes in our lot are in good hands. I dinna need to tell you that after all these years. And as for the minister, you needna be afraid for him.”
Graeme laughed; and though the entrance of Rose prevented any more being said, she laughed again to herself, in a way to excite her sister’s astonishment.