"After all, it"s apart from the question in hand. But perhaps my plans for your granddaughter don"t interest you?"
"Not particularly. Still, you may as well tell them. I see you want to."
"And I see"--Somerled squandered a smile, but only because it came spontaneously--"I see that you want to hear them, because," he dared to go on with a flash of his keen eyes into hers, "you _do_ care what becomes of Miss MacDonald. If you had not got Mrs. West"s letter, you would have had no sleep last night. As it is, knowing your granddaughter has fallen into safe hands, you can comfortably disclaim anxiety."
"You seem to fancy yourself a mind-reader, my good sir," returned Mrs.
MacDonald at her haughtiest, or what Barrie would have called her "snortiest." "Think what you like. It is nothing to me, and thinking costs naught. As for the hands she has fallen into, what do I know of them? They may be black with sin for all I can tell. No doubt Barbara Ballantree"s daughter would be just as ready to accept help from such hands."
"As a painter, I try to keep mine clean," said Somerled. "I tell you that in earnest, not in joke, because for the present I"ve const.i.tuted myself your granddaughter"s guardian. My plan is to take her in my motor-car to Edinburgh, where I shall deliver her safely to Mrs.
Bal--Mrs. Ballantree MacDonald. In the car will be Mrs. West and her brother, Basil Norman. Have you anything to say against the plan? If you have, kindly speak now."
"If I did speak, would it prevent your doing what you"ve made up your mind to do?"
"Perhaps not, unless your reasons appealed to my judgment," Somerled admitted.
"You"re no prevaricator, anyhow."
"I don"t come of prevaricating stock."
"You don"t, if you"re David MacDonald"s son. He was a humble, G.o.d-respecting man. But you have no humble air. You hold your crest high."
Somerled was minded to be impudent and say that in that case he must get his hair cut; but he refrained. "The atmosphere of this house does not conduce to humility, madam," he answered instead--and always as they talked the two looked one another straight and full in the face.
"H"m!" the old woman grunted. Yet there was something vaguely resembling a twinkle in the gla.s.s-gray eyes, a gleam which Barrie and few others now living had ever seen; for not more than one or two of her fellow-beings had ever had the slightest idea how to manage Mrs.
MacDonald, _nee_ Ann (scorning an "e") Hillard.
"Go on your motor trip, then, so far as I care," said she, a permission which from her was well-nigh a blessing. "It will probably end in a smash-up before Edinburgh."
"I think not," said Somerled. "I drive myself, and I know how to drive rather well."
"I was not referring to physical results."
"So I presumed. Nor was I," he retorted.
If she found the reply enigmatical she did not say so.
They had not sat down during the conversation. Now, Somerled took a step toward the door. "I"m obliged to you for receiving me, madam," he said as a prelude to departure.
"I received you on the strength of your name," she reminded him.
"Which I don"t intend to disgrace in your eyes."
"Why in my eyes? They will not long be looking your way."
"I think they will, as long as I"m in charge of your granddaughter.
That"s what I mean."
"I do not thank you for the a.s.surance. Except that when she"s twenty-one I shall make over certain money of my son"s to her, I have washed my hands of the girl."
"I haven"t. That"s not the kind of washing to make them clean."
"You reproach me, sir!" She glared at him.
"Not at all, madam. Even if I would venture, there"s no need, for I think your bark is worse than your bite."
Again she almost twinkled at the wretch"s daring. There was excitement in it, which she had not experienced since early married days. Then she had had to do with another MacDonald, and even a Hillard could without disgrace afford to be mastered by a MacDonald of Dhrum.
"When I"ve put your granddaughter into more suitable guardianship than mine," Somerled went on quickly, "I"ll write and tell you."
"Suitable guardianship! It will be some time before I get that letter."
"I thank you for the compliment."
"It was not one."
"You"re not to blame if I choose to take it as such."
"I am not to blame in any way in this matter."
"There I"m no judge. It"s my own actions I must look after." And again he smiled.
"I advise you to be careful, sir, between Barbara Ballantree and Barribel MacDonald. I wish you joy of them both."
"And what of Aline West?" The question whispered itself in Somerled"s ears.
But Mrs. MacDonald knew nothing of Aline West. And Somerled was beginning to think that, for all the boasted sagacity of experience, he knew not much more.
"Thank you for your kind wishes," he said non-committally. "And now I will wish you a good day."
He put out his hand, and, to her own intense surprise when she thought of it afterward, Mrs. MacDonald gave hers. Over the prominent knuckles the old skin lay soft and loose. The grim woman was vaguely pathetic to Somerled in his youth and strength and full tide of success. The touch of the would-be iron hand in the velvet glove of faded age made him conscious of his vast advantage over her. He went away filled with hope, and a curious new joy of life, which was partly the excitement of battle.
"The _heather moon_!" he found himself saying, as he pa.s.sed out of the ill-kept, once lovely garden where Barrie had often dreamed. Perhaps the thought came then because here and there a patch of heather glorified the weeds, or perhaps because Barrie"s dreams still empurpled their birthplace.
IX
When luncheon-time drew near and Somerled was absent, Aline"s heart misgave her. It was useless to argue that he must have lingered in talk with his chauffeur, with whom he had early gone to confer. Reason offered this explanation, which was plausible, and altogether more likely than any other; but instinct was deaf to it. Aline wandered nervously about the house and garden, unable to settle anywhere, and it was an added vexation to her disturbed spirit that Basil should be giving himself heart and soul to the entertainment of that dreadful girl in the summer-house. It was well enough that he should entertain her, and keep her pa.s.sive, but Aline would have liked him to be a martyr, sacrificing his own inclination for his sister"s good. She did not wish to think that there was something about this young, crude creature which attracted men to her, and caused them to find pleasure in her society.
Aline"s head ached, and she could not think consecutively. Again and again she asked herself, "What shall I do if he has been to see that old woman and found out about the telegram?" but no clear answer would come.
She could only repeat the would-be consoling words, "But he _hasn"t_ been there. It"s silly to think of such a thing. He"s not that sort of man."
She was in the summer-house with her brother and Barrie MacDonald when at last Somerled did come. She called to him gayly as he appeared round the corner of an immense architectural rose-bush, and he answered pleasantly. He even met her smile with a smile as friendly to the eye, and there was no definable change in his look or manner, yet--Aline was filled with a cold fear which chilled the perfumed August noon. Her perception of the invisible was as sensitive as the needle of a compa.s.s to the thrill of the magnetic north. Her brain suddenly buzzed as if a hive of bees had been let loose in her head. A voice seemed to be yelling in her ears accusations: "What a fool you have been--what a fool you have been. It"s all your fault if he has found out. You needn"t have done the thing. It wasn"t necessary."
She feared to meet Somerled"s eyes and read condemnation, yet her very dread forced her to seek them, and learn at once the best or worst, since suspense was unbearable. It seemed to her that he avoided her look; that he too was nervous and uncomfortable, while trying to appear at ease.
For a moment or two he talked of the car, which he had been to see, and of a sight-seeing expedition round Carlisle which Basil had proposed for the afternoon. Then he turned suddenly to Barrie: "I"ve been thinking over what we can do for you, Miss MacDonald," he said. "We don"t know where your mother is now, but we do know that she"ll be in Edinburgh the first of next week. Perhaps we might be able to find out her whereabouts meanwhile, but there"d be delay before we could expect answers to inquiries, if she"s playing small towns in order to knock her new play into shape. You don"t want to go back to your grandmother"s. We"re starting off in my car to-morrow. I"ve undertaken the responsibility of you, so I"m your guardian _pro tem_. I couldn"t allow you to hang about alone anywhere. The alternative is, taking you with us in the car. What do you say?"