The cook at the House bought all his fish, for they had had none
for the last few days, because of the storm; and he was turning
to go home by the river side, when he heard a tap on a window, and
saw Mrs Courthope beckoning him to another door.
"His lordship desired me to send you to him, Malcolm, the next time
you called," she said.
"Weel, mem, here I am," answered the youth.
"You'll find him in the flower garden," she said. "He's up early
today for a wonder."
He left his basket at the top of the stairs that led down the rock
to the level of the burn, and walked up the valley of the stream.
The garden was a curious old fashioned place, with high hedges, and
close alleys of trees, where two might have wandered long without
meeting, and it was some time before he found any hint of the
presence of the marquis. At length, however, he heard voices, and
following the sound, walked along one of the alleys till he came
to a little arbour, where he discovered the marquis seated, and,
to his surprise, the white robed lady of the sands beside him. A
great deer hound at his master's feet was bristling his mane, and
baring his eye teeth with a growl, but the girl had a hold of his
collar.
"Who are you?" asked the marquis rather gruffly, as if he had never
seen him before.
"I beg yer lordship's pardon," said Malcolm, "but they telled me
yer lordship wantit to see me, and sent me to the flooer garden.
Will I gang, or will I bide?"
The marquis looked at him for a moment, frowningly, and made
no reply.
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