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Bishopriggs had been presented with a handsome gratuity; and Mrs. Inchbare had been informed that the rooms were taken for a week certain. In every quarter but one the march of events had now, to all appearance, fallen back into a quiet course. Arnold was on his way to his estate; Blanche was safe at Windygates; Anne's residence at the inn was assured for a week to come.
Inchbare showed in not Lady Lundie, but Lady Lundie's maid. The woman's account of what had happened at Windygates was simple enough. Lady Lundie had, as a matter of course, placed the right interpretation on Blanche's abrupt departure in the pony-chaise, and had ordered the carriage, with the firm determination of following her step-daughter herself.
You now know as much as I did when I arrived at Craig Fernie and you are, therefore, in a position to appreciate the value of my discoveries at the inn. Do you understand every thing, so far?" "Perfectly!" "Very good. I drove up to the inn; and behold me closeted with Mrs. Inchbare in her own private parlor!
She had a maisterfu' temper o' her ain and I was weel pleased when I'd seen the last of her." "I can quite understand that, Mrs. Inchbare I know something of her temper myself. Did I understand you to say that she came to your hotel alone, and that her husband joined her shortly afterward?" "E'en sae, yer leddyship.
The time of the afternoon was about the time when Geoffrey Delamayn had started in the train, on his journey to London. About the time also, when Arnold Brinkworth had crossed the moor, and was mounting the first rising ground which led to the inn. Mistress Inchbare was tall and thin, and decent and dry. Mistress Inchbare's unlovable hair clung fast round her head in wiry little yellow curls.
Inchbare profoundly impressed by the elegant costume which illness assumes when illness appears in the regions of high life. "I am far from being in a fit state to receive any body," proceeded Lady Lundie. "But I had a motive for wishing to speak to you when you next came to my house. I failed to treat a proposal you made to me, a short time since, in a friendly and neighborly way.
"I have no doubt it is the same." "Will she be a freend o' yer leddyship's?" asked Mrs. Inchbare, feeling her ground cautiously. "Certainly not!" said Lady Lundie. "I felt a passing curiosity about her nothing more." Mrs. Inchbare looked relieved. "To tell ye truth, my leddy, there was nae love lost between us.
This was the woman whose reluctance to receive her she innocently expected to overcome by showing her purse. "Mention your charge for the rooms," she said. "I am willing to pay for them beforehand." Her majesty, Mrs. Inchbare, never even looked at her subject's poor little purse. "It just comes to this, mistress," she answered.
Inchbare, as you say. Don't let me keep you any longer from the poultry-yard. I am transgressing the doctor's orders in seeing any body. We quite understand each other now, don't we? Very glad to have seen you. Good-evening." So she dismissed Mrs. Inchbare, when Mrs. Inchbare had served her purpose.
On the same day Arnold Brinkworth had taken his departure for the purpose of visiting the Scotch property left to him by his aunt. If Mrs. Inchbare was to be depended on, he must have gone to Craig Fernie instead of going to his appointed destination and must, therefore, have arrived to visit his house and lands one day later than the day which he had originally set apart for that purpose.
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