“My sisters,” said the lawyer, hastily. “Miss—Miss—I did not catch the name.”
“Miss Macintosh,” said the stranger, nervously, and Bell cried out, immediately, “I was perfectly assured of it! Lennox has often spoken of you, and I'm so glad to see you. I did not know you were in the neighborhood.”
Ailie was delighted with so picturesque a figure. She could scarcely keep her eyes off the many-flounced, expansive gown of poplin, the stomacher, the ponderous ear-rings, the great cameo brooch, the long lace mittens, the Paisley shawl, the neat poke bonnet, and the fresh old face marred only by the spectacles and the gap where the teeth were missing.
“I have just been consultin' Mr. Dyce on my comin' mairrage,” said The Macintosh; and at this intelligence from a piece of such antiquity Miss Bell's face betrayed so much astonishment that Dan and Ailie almost forgot their good manners.
“Oh, if it's business—” said Bell, and rose to go; but The Macintosh put a hand on her sleeve and stayed her.
“Ye needna fash to leave, Miss Dyce,” said she. “A' thing's settled. It seems that Johnny Cleghom canna ca' a rig o' Kaims his ain when he mairries me, and that was a' I cam' to see about. Oh, it's a mischancy thing a mairrage, Miss Dyce; maist folk gang intill't heels-ower-hurdies, but I'm in an awfu' swither, and havena a mither to guide me.”
“Keep me!” said Miss Bell, out of all patience at such maidenly apprehensions; “ye're surely auld enough to ken your ain mind. I hope the guidman's worthy.”
“He's no' that ill—as men-folk gang,” said The Macintosh, resignedly. “He's as fat's creish, and has a craighlin' cough, the body, and he's faur frae bonny, and he hasna a bawbee o' his ain, and, sirs! what a reputation! But a man's a man, Miss Dyce, and time's aye fleein'.”
At such a list of disabilities in a husband, the Dyces lost all sense of the proprieties and broke into laughter, in which the lady joined them, shaking in her armchair. Bell was the first to recover with a guilty sense that this was very bad for Daniel's business. She straightened her face, and was about to make apologies, when Footles bounded in at the open door, to throw himself at the feet of The Macintosh and wave a joyous tail. But he was not content there! In spite of her resistance he must be in her lap, and then, for the first time, Bell and Ailie noticed a familiar cadence in the stranger's laugh.
Dan rose and clapped her on the back. “Well done, Bud!” said he. “Ye had us a'; but Footles wasna to be swindled wi' an auld wife's goon,” and he gently drew the spectacles from the laughing eyes of his naughty niece.