As soon as the benediction was spoken, the laird slipped away, but
as he left the seat, Miss Horn heard him murmur--"Eh, the bonny
man! the bonny man!" He could hardly have meant the deacon. He might
have meant Mr Bigg, who had concluded the observance with a simple
and loving exhortation.
CHAPTER LXI: MISS HORN AND THE PIPER
When Miss Horn bethought herself that night, in prospect of
returning home the next day, that she had been twice in the company
of the laird and had not even thought of asking him about Phemy,
she reproached herself not a little; and it was with shame that
she set out, immediately on her arrival, to tell Malcolm that she
had seen him. No one at the House being able to inform her where
he was at the moment, she went on to Duncan's cottage. There she
found the piper, who could not tell her where his boy was, but gave
her a hearty welcome, and offered her a cup of tea, which, as it
was now late in the afternoon, Miss Horn gladly accepted. As he
bustled about to prepare it, refusing all assistance from his guest,
he began to open his mind to her on a subject much in his thoughts
--namely, Malcolm's inexplicable aversion to Mrs Stewart.
"Ta nem of Stewart will pe a nople worrt, mem," he said.
"It's guid eneuch to ken a body by," answered Miss Horn.
"If ta poy will pe a Stewart," he went on, heedless of the
indifference of her remark, "who'll pe knowing put he'll may pe of
ta plood royal!"
"There didna leuk to be muckle royalty aboot auld John, honest man,
wha cudna rule a wife, though he had but ane!" returned Miss Horn.
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