“How do you like him?” asked Kirsty at last when the castle was a far thing on the rim of the sky and the lights of the city were beginning to appear.
“Mither says he’s a braw laddie, an’ if mither says so it’s so!” said Donald firmly, adding with a grin, “an’ I think so my sel’.”
And so they proudly discussed him, rejoicing in him and approving of him. There was no denying that the three Galbraiths were greatly pleased with their new relative.
“And tomorrow Aunt Rose and her family will be back from visiting their sister in Glasgow, and then he’ll have met us all,” said Kirsty happily. “And that makes me think. I promised to call up Lady Campbell and tell her Aunt Rose is here. Mother said I might invite her to come out to dinner or something. Do you think it’s all right to do it while Gordon is here?”
“Sure thing,” said David. “She’s likely heard of Gordon. Anyhow he fits, so what’s the difference?”
“What bothers me,” said Kirsty, “is where will those two get any supper? In that miserly old castle they won’t expect them to stay, will they?”
“Well, they’d better!” growled Donald. “But I told them where we’d be, and Gordon will telephone if he wants us to come sooner for them.”
So they found their hotel and got supper and spent the evening happily.
Meantime up in the castle, Rose and Gordon sat in state in the great room where Rose’s mother’s picture presided in the distance, over the lovely old piano.
The twilight had possession of the room. Only two tall candles broke the gloom.
“Come over here and see my mother’s picture,” whispered Rose.
So, when Aunt Janet came down the long dim stairway and looked about her for her guests, wondering who the man might be, the two were at the far end, standing before the picture, and she followed them silently into the room and watched them a moment before they were aware of her presence.
Then suddenly Rose’s low voice of explanation stopped and she was aware of someone else in the room. She turned quickly and saw her aunt.
“Oh, Aunt Janet! There you are! Excuse me, please, for coming in here while I waited, but I did want to see Mother’s picture once more, and I wasn’t sure we should be able to stay long enough to make it possible. Aunt Janet, I want to introduce Gordon McCarroll. I brought him with me because he is the man I am going to marry, and I didn’t know that there would be any other chance for him to meet you.”
“Marry!” The cold lips almost twisted like a writhe of pain as she spoke the word. “I didn’t know you were going to marry anyone. You never spoke of it.”
“No,” said Rose. “But, you see, I was here a very short time. Besides, we hadn’t fixed the time then.”
“Time?” There was another sharp note of pain in the voice. “Oh, is the time set?”
“Yes, practically. The wedding will be in a little over a week, just as soon as Gordon’s father and mother can get over here from the States. But I wanted you to see him before we were married, of course. I got your note this morning and I hurried to come right away. I thought if I had Gordon with me, it would be all right to come.”
Aunt Janet cast a quick furtive look behind her and caught a glimpse of Thomas passing the wide doorway.
“Thomas! More candles!” she ordered.
The candles came almost at once, and the lovely girl in the rich old gold frame stood out startlingly. Gordon turned and looked at it, fascinated.
“She is very beautiful!” he said, and looked back at Aunt Janet.
“Yes, she was,” said Aunt Janet grimly with a heavy sigh. And then she looked Gordon over sharply, softening as she saw the look of admiration in his face for the picture.
“She looks like you, Rose. As you sometimes looked when you sat at your desk in school.” He spoke thoughtfully, reminiscently.
“Oh, do you think so?” said Rose eagerly. “My father used to say we were alike. But my coloring was more like his.”
And then she remembered Aunt Janet, who did not recognize the Galbraith side of the family.
But Aunt Janet was watching Gordon.
“Well, I don’t know that I can blame you,” she said with a sigh. “Of course he is nearer your age.”
“Nearer?” said Rose with a startled look.
“Yes, I can’t blame you. But where are you going to be married? It seems like your mother’s story over again.” And she sighed heavily.
“Where?” said Rose. “Oh, why at Grandmother’s, I think. We haven’t all our plans made yet, but we’re sailing immediately for home. Gordon could only get away for a short time.”
“Sailing?” said the woman forlornly. “But your wedding should have been here. Only now I don’t think it would be wise.”
“No, of course not. It would be impossible with uncle so ill. How is he today? Any better?”
The woman shook her head dully.
“No, no better. He may not ever be better. He may linger for years just this way. A living death. That’s why I wrote you. I thought you would know some verses I could read to him. The print is so fine in your mother’s little old Bible, I can’t seem to find any appropriate place. I don’t know that he would understand it if I did try to read it, either. I read so slowly and my voice isn’t strong. I never was a very good reader. Your mother read better than I did.”
“Yes, she was a beautiful reader. She made a point of teaching me. Would you like me to read to Uncle Robert a few minutes before I go? Or do you think he would not like it? He might not like to know I was here.”
“Oh no, I don’t think he would dislike to have you read. He never spoke as if he disliked you. Of course I don’t know surely that he would understand, but the doctor thinks he does. You might try it. That is, if you’re not afraid. I don’t think Lord MacCallummore will be back again tonight. He has been here all day.”
“What is he here for, Aunt Janet? Is he staying with Uncle? Does Uncle like to have him around?”
“No,” said the aunt, “he seems to make him very restless. Sometimes he moans in a terrible way. It’s the only sound he can make. And sometimes he looks at me in a desperate way, as if he were pleading. No, I don’t think he likes to have him here. I think it worries him.”
“Well, why do you let him stay, then? Why don’t you send him away? Get the doctor to tell him that it isn’t good for Uncle to have company.”
“Oh, the doctor would never do that! The MacCallummores are very influential people around here. The doctor would not dare to tell him not to come. And I’m quite sure it wouldn’t do any good if I were to say anything. He keeps telling me that he is searching for some papers that your uncle told him about and that he has promised him he will find them. Of course, I don’t know anything about his business affairs. It may be so.”
“Aunt Janet, I think you ought to keep him out. I don’t think he has any business to be looking among Uncle Robert’s papers or searching in the castle for anything. I’ll tell you why. Once, a little while ago, he came over to Kilcreggan with a paper he said Uncle sent, for me to answer the questions, about how much property I had, and what form it was in and who was my guardian. Things like that. He said it was a government paper and he must have the answers that day or it would make Uncle a great deal of trouble. But I refused to sign it. I told him it was none of his business what money I had, that I was an American citizen, and I was sure this government over here had nothing to do with my affairs. I took the paper to Lady Campbell’s husband who is a government man, you know, and he said it was all nonsense, there was no such government paper. Nobody had a right to ask me those questions.”
“But I don’t understand,” said the aunt with a troubled air. “I’m quite sure my husband would not have sent you any such paper.
“That’s what I thought too. I’m sure he didn’t,” said Rose. “And then another thing, you remember the night I was playing the piano, and then we went upstairs early? Well, I left my little bag on the piano, and when I got up
stairs I missed it and came down for it, and as I went back I heard Lord MacCallummore saying some very odd things to Uncle Robert, about not being able to pay him something he owed him. It seemed to have something to do with me, for he mentioned my name. I couldn’t hear all they said, but I’ve never trusted Lord MacCallummore since. And anyway, Aunt Janet, my mother didn’t trust his father. Perhaps you never knew all about that affair, but Mother told me. And if I were you I would do something to keep him out of the castle. I’d send for a policeman if there wasn’t any other way. I’m sure he’s up to something, searching through Uncle’s things. Perhaps if you would appeal to Lord Campbell he would be able to help you. He’s very kind and pleasant. You could say I suggested it.”
By this time Aunt Janet was wide-eyed and trembling.
“Oh, my dear! Oh, my dear! I couldn’t do a thing like that. I don’t know what your uncle would say if I did a thing like that.”
“But if you were doing it to protect Uncle’s rights, he couldn’t blame you, could he? Besides, if he can’t move or speak, what could he do about it? He wouldn’t know it, would he? I certainly don’t think you ought to let him hunt around for things here. There might be some very important thing, some valuable, that would be missing if you don’t protect it somehow.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” said Aunt Janet. “I’ll have to think about it. Of course I could send for your uncle’s brother, but I’ve never liked him. Well, I’ll see. It’s all very strange though, I don’t understand it. I was worried about your coming because I knew that Lord MacCallummore was anxious to get well acquainted with you. I think perhaps he wanted to marry you. But now, of course—well, you’re really going to be married, are you?”
“Yes,” said Rose, with a glory of loveliness in her face.
“That’s just the way your mother talked.” And then after a pause, “What have you got for a wedding dress? We must talk fast, because if you’re going to read to your uncle you’d better do it pretty soon. It might get him to sleep and perhaps would make him less unhappy. But tell me, have you got a wedding dress?”
“Why, no, not yet,” Rose said, smiling. “I’ll get something simple. It won’t matter much. We won’t have a large wedding, just the family. I hope you will come.”
“Oh, no I wouldn’t want to come. It would make me think of your mother’s wedding that never came off. I’d cry, and I hate to cry. But I was wondering if you would like to wear your mother’s wedding dress?”
“My mother’s wedding dress?” said Rose, amazed. “But she told me she just had her plain little traveling dress that she came away from home in.”
“Yes, she did. But she had a wedding dress, all beautiful with handmade lace, wonderful Carrickmacross lace. It was made especially for her wedding dress, and she never wore it. Instead she ran away with your father, and had to be married in a very common little traveling dress. But the real wedding dress that was made for your mother is upstairs now in a big white box, and if you would like to have it, I’ll give it to you.”
“Oh, Aunt Janet. Why yes, of course I’d like to have it. It would be wonderful. Mother told me about that dress, and I always felt sorry I couldn’t see it. I would treasure it so very much, or I would send it back to you again after my wedding. If I could wear it, that would be wonderful.”
“No, I don’t want it back again. It would ease my soul to get it out of the house. Nights, often, I could not sleep, thinking of my little sister and all the things she gave up. But I guess somehow you’ve made me feel she was happy anyway.”
“Yes, she was very very happy as long as my dear father lived,” said Rose.
“Well, then I will give you the dress.”
She touched a bell near her, and Thomas appeared.
“Tell Maggie to go up to the tower and get the very large white box on the top of the big mahogany dresser. Tell her it’s the wedding dress. She will know which one I mean.”
Then she turned to Rose again.
“Now, would you like to play on your mother’s piano a few minutes while I go up and see if your uncle is awake so you could read to him?”
“Oh, yes,” said Rose, “if you think it won’t disturb him.”
“Well, it’s a very long way off from him. He won’t be able to hear it very well. Anyway, he said once he thought you played well. Perhaps he would like it. Try it.”
Chapter 21
Aunt Janet disappeared, and in amazement, Rose sat down at the piano and began to play, softly at first, tenderly; nocturnes and scraps of lovely music that sounded of rippling water and waving ferns and flying birds. Then more tenderly still she melted into the dear old hymn tunes her mother had loved.
Gordon stood there and listened, watching her, entranced. To think his dear girl could play like that. And all through the years he had never known it.
Then he began to wish that his father and mother could be here and see the grand old castle walls and the exquisite painting of the lovely girl-mother; see the sweet girl playing there in the dim candlelight. Oh, Mother didn’t need to worry lest he was marrying a coarse girl. Why, she was rare and wonderful. Even Mother would see she had an irreproachable background. If he could only just tell it to them as he was seeing it now!
And then Aunt Janet came back, with Thomas in her wake, bearing the big white box.
“We’ll put it here on the hall table,” she said, “till you have to go. I’d keep you here all night, of course, if it wasn’t for Lord MacCallummore. I wouldn’t know what to tell him, and after what you have told me, he might make us trouble. I wouldn’t want him to upset your uncle. Now, come right up, both of you. He’s awake and the nurse thinks it may help him, put him to sleep, perhaps. Oh, his eyes look so restless. They seem to burn into you like coals of fire.”
She led them upstairs to the big bedroom where the uncle lay grim and silent as a statue. Rose entered, with Gordon just behind her, a small limp leather-covered Bible in her hand, with a folded paper inside on which she had written a series of verses and references.
Her aunt motioned to her to sit by a table on which was a shaded lamp and so seated, she began to read.
“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”
The eyes of the sick man came open wide, and he stared straight ahead as if searching for the voice. Gordon, as he stood across from the bed, could watch him, the grim locked face that never changed.
The girl’s voice went steadily on, with a fresh clearness that had an arresting quality.
“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only have I sinned … Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow … Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
The room was very still. Aunt Janet was standing over by the door out of sight from the bed, and her eyes were wide and almost frightened. The nurse stood near the bed, her eye on the patient, and just out in the hall by the doorway where they could not be seen stood Thomas and Maggie, silent and with bowed heads, as if they were attending a sacrament. And Gordon stood there quietly watching it all, thrilling with the voice of his dear girl uttering the wonderful, hope-filled truths.
“Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidist, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.”
The reader paused an instant and fluttered over the leaves and then went on again, with the clear ringing statements.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shoul
d not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Another fluttering of the leaves and then, “How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that comes from God only?”
Then, turning to another place, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
Suddenly Aunt Janet stepped up to Rose and motioned her to go over where her uncle could see her face. She had noticed that his eyes were turning in almost an agony to find the voice. So Rose got up and went quietly over to stand at the foot of the bed where she could look into the sick man’s eyes. She smiled as she came near, holding the little book up that he might see what she was reading from. Then she read on.
“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, Be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
It seemed to Rose as she lifted her eyes in her reading and looked straight at her uncle, that his eyes were fixed on her with intelligence. She was convinced that he knew her and that he understood what she was reading. There was a kind of startled, understanding look in his expression, though the actual lines of his face had not altered. But she read straight on through the verses she had selected.
“He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered … I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.”
Then the voice grew sweeter, with a comforting strain as she went on.