FullReads

“Nae! Nae!” said the young man hurriedly, “it’s no’ thiss. That is, it’s no’ mine noo.”

“Won’t you come in?” suggested the consul politely, holding open the door.

The young man entered the room with the quick strides but the mechanical purposelessness of embarrassment. Then he stiffened and stood erect. Yet in spite of all this he was strikingly picturesque and unconventional in his Highland dress, worn with the freedom of long custom and a certain lithe, barbaric grace. As the consul continued to gaze at him encouragingly, the quick resentful pride of a shy man suddenly mantled his high cheekbones, and with an abrupt “I’ll not deesturb ye longer,” he strode out of the room.

The consul watched the easy swing of his figure down the passage, and then closed the door. “Delightful creature,” he said musingly, “and not so very unlike an Apache chief either! But what was he doing outside my door? And was it HE who left that rose–not as a delicate Highland attention to an utter stranger, but”–the consul’s mouth suddenly expanded–“to some fair previous occupant? Or was it really HIS room–he looked as if he were lying–and”–here the consul’s mouth expanded even more wickedly–“and Mrs. MacSpadden had put the flower there for him.” This implied snub to his vanity was, however, more than compensated by his wicked anticipation of the pretty perplexity of his fair friend when HE should appear at dinner with the flower in his own buttonhole. It would serve her right, the arrant flirt! But here he was interrupted by the entrance of a tall housemaid with his hot water.

“I am afraid I’ve dispossessed Mr.–Mr.–Kilcraithie rather prematurely,” said the consul lightly.

To his infinite surprise the girl answered with grim decision, “Nane too soon.”

The consul stared. “I mean,” he explained, “that I found him hesitating here in the passage, looking for his room.”

“Ay, he’s always hoaverin’ and glowerin’ in the passages–but it’s no’ for his ROOM! And it’s a deesgrace to decent Christian folk his carryin’ on wi’ married weemen–mebbee they’re nae better than he!”

“That will do,” said the consul curtly. He had no desire to encourage a repetition of the railway porter’s freedom.

“Ye’ll no fash yoursel’ aboot HIM,” continued the girl, without heeding the rebuff. “It’s no’ the meestreess’ wish that he’s keepit here in the wing reserved for married folk, and she’s no’ sorry for the excuse to pit ye in his place. Ye’ll be married yoursel’, I’m hearin’. But, I ken ye’s nae mair to be lippened tae for THAT.”

This was too much for the consul’s gravity. “I’m afraid,” he said with diplomatic gayety, “that although I am married, as I haven’t my wife with me, I’ve no right to this superior accommodation and comfort. But you can assure your mistress that I’ll try to deserve them.”

“Ay,” said the girl, but with no great confidence in her voice as she grimly quitted the room.

“When our foot’s upon our native heath, whether our name’s Macgregor or Kilcraithie, it would seem that we must tread warily,” mused the consul as he began to dress. “But I’m glad she didn’t see that rose, or MY reputation would have been ruined.” Here another knock at the door arrested him. He opened it impatiently to a tall gillie, who instantly strode into the room. There was such another suggestion of Kilcraithie in the man and his manner that the consul instantly divined that he was Kilcraithie’s servant.

“I’ll be takin’ some bit things that yon Whistlecrankie left,” said the gillie gravely, with a stolid glance around the room.

“Certainly,” said the consul; “help yourself.” He continued his dressing as the man began to rummage in the empty drawers. The consul had his back towards him, but, looking in the glass of the dressing-table, he saw that the gillie was stealthily watching him. Suddenly he passed before the mantelpiece and quickly slipped the rose from its glass into his hand.