“Eh, laddie,” cried Mrs. Brown, her face lighting up through the half-dried tears; “are ye a warlock, or how do ye ken? That’s just heaven’s truth; and though he’s blate, he’s awfu’ proud: and ye must be a lad of uncommon sense to ken.”
“Yes,” said Eddy, modestly, “I’ve always been noted for my sense; but I am not at all proud, and I think if you were to make some of your nice tea for us—I am quite sure that you make delightful tea.”
“Hear to him!” said Mrs. Brown, delighted. “Ye shall have your tea, my young gentleman, and a pleasure it will be to serve ye. I will just ask Bell if the kettle is boiling; and Archie, ye can show your friend the pictures of Mey and you when you were bairns, and the views your father sent home from India, and anything you can find to amuse him. I’ll no be a minute.” She left the two young men alone together while she hurried to the kitchen to see after the tea.
“Let me see the picture of your sister and you, not the views from India, Rowland,” said Eddy.
“Saumarez,” cried Archie, clearing his throat; “I told you this was a—relation. She brought us up, and she was very kind to us. I can’t have her laughed at, you know.”
“Laughed at?” cried Eddy; “how you misunderstand! I found out all that in the twinkling of an eye. And as for being disrespectful to your aunt, it is not I that will ever be disrespectful; besides which, I delight in an old lady like that—was the kettle boiling, Mrs. Brown?”
“’Deed it was,” said Mrs. Brown, “and Bell will bring the tea ben in a minute or two, as soon as it has had time to mask. I never let it stand long after I have maskit the tea. And how are ye getting on Archie, my bonnie lad, at Rosmore? Are ye getting more familiar! are ye liking it better? And Mey? Ye are such poor letter writers, I must take my chance of hearing all I can when you’re at hand. Four months, Archie, and neither the one nor the ither of you has been near. That’s no what you ought to have done. You that were just like bairns of my ain.”
“It is not my fault, aunty. We have not been in Glasgow since we left. There has been always something to do. Either my father has wanted me, or May has been busy, or something has been in the way. We have had people visiting in the house.” Archie looked instinctively at Eddy to help him out.
“We have been there for a long time,” said Eddy. “People very hard to keep amused, always making claims upon them. Of course we had not the pleasure of knowing you, dear Mrs. Brown; and we have been the greatest bother——”
“Oh, dinna say so,” cried Aunt Jane; “sure am I they were very glad of the bother, and real pleased to have ye there. And so am I delighted that Archie should have such a friend as you. No, I’m not so unreasonable. I was giving a bit jeer at them to see what they would say for themselves, and what excuse they would give. But I was wanting no excuse. I’m just overjoyed that they have such friends. And if they werena coming about me every day, well I kent the reason. I would rather see them doing their duty in their father’s house, and taking their proper place, than fiddling and fyking about me.”