“It will just be some vile woman that has got possession of him,” he said abruptly, “like yon young lord.”
“Oh, James, we know nothing. I don’t believe that he is guilty at all.”
“Some vile woman,” he repeated, “just like yon young lord.” It seemed to give him a sort of comfort that it was like the young lord. Is it not indeed a kind of terrible comfort always to hear of other cases worse than our own?
“I won’t repeat what I said,” said Evelyn, “but you know what I think.”
“Think!—think!” he said impatiently, “of what use is thinking? The thing’s done: it was not done without hands. It will perhaps be something in the house.”
“Something in the house!”
“Well!” he said querulously, “you need not repeat what I say. I have heard of a curse upon a house, and that nothing throve that ever was in it.” He paused with an effort, and then said with his hard laugh, “I am speaking like a fool, but people used to believe in that in the old times. What’s that fellow wanting?” he added angrily, “a man from the stables! What right has he to speak to you?”
It was Sandy the groom, who touched his cap, and stood on the edge of the path, desiring an audience. Sandy had no fear of being supposed impertinent. He had spoken to Lady Jean, wherever he had met her, with the familiarity of a respect which required no proof, and he regarded Mrs. Rowland, who had shown claims to a similar treatment, with much of the same confident and friendly feeling. Accordingly, he paid no attention to his master’s threatening looks (“The auld man was in a very ill key: he was giving it to her, het and strong, puir leddy,” was his after-comment). “It’s just auld Rankin, mem,” said Sandy, who spoke a little thick, turning over his words like a sweet morsel under his tongue, as the minister said in his prayer, “he’s awfu’ anxious just to have a word wi’ your leddyship.”
“Old Rankin!” said Evelyn surprised, “a word with me?”
“What do you want with Mrs. Rowland,” cried Rowland angrily, “do you think she has time to go after every fool in the place? You can tell your wants to me.”