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Above, grass grown heaps and mounds, and one isolated bit of wall pierced with a little window, like an empty eyesocket with no skull behind it, was all that was visible from the sea of the structure which had once risen lordly on the crest of the cliff. "It is poor for a ruin even!" said Lord Lossie.
The next day, Miss Horn, punctual as Fate, presented herself at Lossie House, and was shown at once into the marquis's study, as it was called. When his lordship entered, she took the lead the moment the door was shut. "By this time, my lord, ye 'll doobtless hae made up yer min' to du what 's richt?" she said. "That 's what I have always wanted to do," returned the marquis.
He looked about therefore, and finding a large carpet bag in one of the garret rooms, hurried into it some of his clothes amongst them the Highland dress he had worn as henchman to the marquis, and added the great Lossie pipes his father had given to old Duncan as well, but which the piper had not taken with him when he left Lossie House.
Still, I do not see that it would be such a mighty favour to ask of one who owes respect at least to the house of Lossie. But I will not ask. I will only suggest; Malcolm, that you should leave this part of the country say this country altogether, and go to America, or New South Wales, or the Cape of Good Hope.
And with the thought he felt as if he must run to her, calling aloud that he was the Marquis of Lossie, and throw himself at her feet. But the wheels of his thought chariot, self moved, were rushing, and here was no goal at which to halt or turn! for, feeling thus, where was his faith in her principles?
With the sun came a troublous thought, for with the sun came "a world of men." Neither they nor the simple fisher-folk, their friends, had thought of the thing, but now at length it occurred to Clementina that she would rather not walk up to the door of Lossie House with Malcolm at this hour of the morning. Yet neither could she well appear alone. Ere she had spoken Malcolm rose.
Malcolm lifted his questioning to her searching eyes. "Don't you .see," she went on, very softly, and lowering her look, from the half conscious shame of half unconscious falseness, "I can't be all my life here at Lossie? We shall have to say goodbye to each other never to meet again most likely. But if you should turn out to be of good family, you know, "
She declared that she was not going to disturb the old way of things to please him; and said that he had now done her all the mischief he could, except, indeed, he were to head the fishers and sack Lossie House.
Duncan, although he received it with perfect calmness, was yet overjoyed at the invitation. He had performed once or twice before the late marquis, and having ever since assumed the style of Piper to the Marquis of Lossie, now regarded the summons as confirmation in the office.
"Who are you speaking of?" asked Malcolm, anxious to hear the talk of the household on the matter. "Why, Lady Lossie, of course. Anybody with half an eye can see as much as that." "Is it settled then?" "That would be hard to say. Her ladyship is too like her father: no one can tell what may be her mind the next minute.
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