At 5.30 Christina was in Glasgow. Mrs. Purdie had commissioned her to deliver two small parcels--"presents from Aberdeen"--to Macgregor"s sister and little brother, and she decided to fulfil the errand before going home. Perhaps the decision was not unconnected with a hope of obtaining some news of Macgregor. His postcard had worried her. She felt she had gone too far and wanted to tell him so. She would write to him the moment she got home, and let her heart speak out for once. Pride was in abeyance. She was all tenderness.
At the Robinson"s house she received a warm welcome. Mrs. Robinson had almost got over her secret fear of her future daughter-in-law.
Jeannie admired her intensely, and wee Jimsie frankly loved her.
Aunt Purdie"s were not the only gifts she delivered.
"Ye"re hame suner nor ye intended," said Mrs. Robinson, during tea, which was partaken of without Mr. Robinson, who was "extra busy"
over munitions. "Was Miss Tod wantin" ye?"
"Macgreegor was wantin" her," piped Jimsie. "So was I."
"Whisht, Jimsie," Jeannie murmured, blushing more than Christina.
"We jist got hame frae Rothesay last nicht," said Mrs. Robinson, "so we ha"ena seen the laddie for a while."
"He hasna wrote this week," remarked Jeannie. "But of course _you"ll_ ha"e heard frae him, Christina"--this with respectful diffidence.
"He"s been busy at the shooting" Christina replied, wishing she had more news to give.
"I wisht I had a gun," observed Jimsie. "I wud shoot the whuskers aff auld Tirpy. Jings, I wud that!"
"Dinna boast," said his mother.
"What wud you shoot, Christina, if you had a gun?"
"I think I wud practise on a cocoa-nut, Jimsie," she said, with a small laugh.
After tea Mrs. Robinson took Christina into the parlour while Jeannie tidied up. Presently the door bell rang, and Jimsie rushed to meet the postman.
"It"s for Macgreegor," he announced, returning and handing a parcel to his mother.
"I wonder wha"s sendin" the laddie socks," she said, feeling it.
"I best open it an" put his name on them. Maybe they"re frae Mistress McOstrich." She removed the string and brown paper.
"Vera nice socks--- a wee thing to the lairge side--but vera nice socks, indeed. But wha----"
"Here"s a letter!" cried Jimsie, extracting a half-sheet of white paper from the crumpled brown, and giving it to his dear Christina.
In bold, untidy writing she read--
"With fondest love from Maggie."
XVIII
PITY THE POOR PARENTS!
"It"s a peety Macgreegor didna see his intended the nicht," Mr.
Robinson observed when his son, after a couple of hours at the parental hearth, had gone to bed, "but we canna help trains bein"
late."
Mrs. Robinson felt that it was perhaps just as well the two young people had not met that night, but refrained from saying so. "Hoo dae ye think Macgreegor"s lookin," John?" she asked after a pause.
"I didna notice onything wrang wi" him. He hadna a great deal to say for hissel"; but that"s naething new. Queer hoo a noisy, steerin" wean like he was, grows into a quiet, douce young man."
"He"s maybe no as douce as ye think," said Lizzie under her breath.
"What"s that?"
"Naething, John." She sighed heavily.
"What"s wrang, wife?"
"I was wishin" we had a niece called Maggie. . . . I suppose it"s nae use askin" if ye ever heard o" Macgreegor ha"ein" an acquaintance o" that name."
"Maggie? Weel, it"s no what ye would call a unique name. But what----"
"Listen, John. When Christina was here the day, a wee paircel cam"
for Macgreegor, an" when I opened it, there was a pair o" socks wi"--wi" fondest love from Maggie."
"Hurray for Maggie!
"But, John, Christina read the words!"
"Oho!" John guffawed. "She wudna like that--eh?"
"Man, what are ye laughin" at? Ye ken Christina"s terrible prood."
"No ony prooder nor Macgreegor is o" her. Lizzie."
"That"s no what I meant. Christina wud never put up wi" Macgreegor lookin" at anither la.s.s."
"Weemen was born jealous; but it"s guid for them."
"John Robi"son! ha"e ye the face to tell me ye wud approve o"
Macgreegor cairryin" on wi" anither la.s.s when he"s engaged to Christina?"
"Of course I wudna exac"ly approve o" it." Mr. Robinson scratched his head. "But surely ye"re raisin" an awfu" excitement ower a pair o" socks."
"It wasna the socks, ye stupid: it was the fondest love!"
John laughed again, but less boisterously,
"Maggie"s no blate, whaever she is. Did ye no speir at Macgreegor aboot her?"
"Oh, man! ha"e ye nae sense?" I jist tied up the paircel again an"
left it on his bed."