‘I cannot,’ said Bertram; ‘I must not offend her.’
‘What keeps you here?’ said Meg, exalting the harsh and rough tones of her hollow voice. ‘Why do you not follow? Must your hour call you twice? Do you remember your oath? “Were it at kirk or market, wedding or burial,”’--and she held high her skinny forefinger in a menacing attitude.
Bertram--turned round to his terrified companions. ‘Excuse me for a moment; I am engaged by a promise to follow this woman.’
‘Good Heavens! engaged to a madwoman?’ said Julia.
‘Or to a gipsy, who has her band in the wood ready to murder you!’ said Lucy.
‘That was not spoken like a bairn of Ellangowan,’ said Meg, frowning upon Miss Bertram. ‘It is the ill-doers are ill-dreaders.’
‘In short, I must go,’ said Bertram, ‘it is absolutely necessary; wait for me five minutes on this spot.’
‘Five minutes?’ said the gipsy, ‘five hours may not bring you here again.’
‘Do you hear that?’ said Julia; ‘for Heaven’s sake do not go!’
‘I must, I must; Mr. Dinmont will protect you back to the house.’