“A friend of the king? I wonder to hear you! I doubt if he has a greater enemy than myself in all Scotland.”
“Do you mean that, Ballengeich?” inquired the shoemaker, with more of interest than the subject appeared to demand, laying down his hammer as he spoke, and looking intently at his guest.
“I’d never say it, if it wasn’t true,” replied the laird.
It was some moments before the workman spoke, and then he surprised the laird by a remark which had apparently nothing to do with what had been said before.
“You are not a married man, I think you told me?”
“No, I am not. There’s time enough for that yet,” returned the other with a smile. “You see, I am new to my situation of responsibility, and it’s as well not to take in the wife till you are sure you can support her.”
“What like a house have you got, and how far is it from Stirling?”
“The house is well enough in its way; there’s more room in it than I care to occupy. It’s strongly built of stone, and could stand a siege if necessary, as very likely it has done in days long past, for it’s a stout old mansion. It’s near enough to Stirling for me to come in and see my friend the cobbler in the evening, and sleep in my own bed that night, if I care to do so.”
“Is it in a lonely place?”