Her thoughts fell on Vara. Should she not bring her home? But yet how could she take her away till the term from Mistress McWalter of Loch Spellanderie?
At that very moment Vara herself opened the door and walked in.
"Wi' lassie!" cried the astonished Mirren Douglas, "what for hae ye left your place? Hae ye gotten leave to bide a' nicht?"
"I hae gotten my fee an' my leave, like the brownie Kit Kennedy sings aboot!" said Vara pleasantly.
"And what's the reason o' that?" said Mirren, with great anxiety in her motherly face.
"The master and the mistress fell oot aboot me," said Vara simply.
"Then I needna ask what yin o' them was in your favour," said Mirren, sharply.
"I must look out for a place," said Vara. "Oh, Mirren Douglas, ye hae been kind to me. But I couldna think o' puttin' you to fash and trouble ony longer, noo that I'm woman muckle, and able to be doin' for mysel'."
"Lassie," said little Mistress Mirren Douglas of Sandyknowes, "will ye hae this place here? I was gaun awa' to look for a lass this very minute. Will ye bide at Sandyknowes, at least till ye will be wantin' to leave us o' your ain accord some day?"