'Wha wad hae thocht it, Shargar,' he added, 'that day 'at ye pat bonnets for hose upo' Black Geordie's huves?'
The butler announced the Marquis of Boarshead.Mysie's eyes flashed.She rose from her seat, and advanced to meet the marquis, who entered behind the servant.He bowed and held out his hand.
Mysie retreated one step, and stood.
'Your lordship has no right to force yourself upon me.You must have seen that I had no wish to renew the acquaintance I was unhappy enough to form--now, thank God, many years ago.'
'Forgive me, Miss Hamilton.One word in private,' said the marquis.
'Not a word,' returned Mysie.
'Before these gentlemen, then, whom I have not the honour of knowing, I offer you my hand.'
'To accept that offer would be to wrong myself even more than your lordship has done.'
She went back to where Moray was standing, and stood beside him.
The evil spirit in the marquis looked out at its windows.
'You are aware, madam,' he said, 'that your reputation is in the hand I offer you?'
'The worse for it, my lord,' returned Mysie, with a scornful smile.
'But your lordship's brother will protect it.'
'My brother!' said the marquis.'What do you mean? I have no brother!'
'Ye hae mair brithers than ye ken o', Lord Sandy, and I'm ane o'
them,' said Shargar.
'You are either a liar or a bastard, then,' said the marquis, who had not been brought up in a school of which either self-restraint or respect for women were prominent characteristics.
Falconer forgot himself for a moment, and made a stride forward.
'Dinna hit him, Robert,' cried Shargar.'He ance gae me a shillin', an' it helpit, as ye ken, to haud me alive to face him this day.--No liar, my lord, but a bastard, thank heaven.' Then, with a laugh, he instantly added, 'Gin I had been ain brither to you, my lord, God only knows what a rascal I micht hae been.'
'By God, you shall answer for your damned insolence,' said the marquis, and, lifting his riding-whip from the table where he had laid it, he approached his brother.
Mysie rang the bell.
'Haud yer han', Sandy,' cried Shargar.'I hae faced mair fearsome foes than you.But I hae some faimily-feelin', though ye hae nane:
I wadna willin'ly strike my brither.'
As he spoke, he retreated a little.The marquis came on with raised whip.But Falconer stepped between, laid one of his great hands on the marquis's chest, and flung him to the other end of the room, where he fell over an ottoman.The same moment the servant entered.
'Ask your mistress to oblige me by coming to the drawing-room,' said Mysie.
The marquis had risen, but had not recovered his presence of mind when Lady Janet entered.She looked inquiringly from one to the other.
'Please, Lady Janet, will you ask the Marquis of Boarshead to leave the house,' said Mysie.
'With all my hert,' answered Lady Janet; 'and the mair that he's a kin' o' a cousin o' my ain.Gang yer wa's, Sandy.Ye're no fit company for decent fowk; an' that ye wad ken yersel', gin ye had ony idea left o' what decency means.'
Without heeding her, the marquis went up to Falconer.
'Your card, sir.'
Lady Janet followed him.
''Deed ye s' get nae cairds here,' she said, pushing him aside.'So you allow your friends to insult me in your own house as they please, cousin Janet?' said the marquis, who probably felt her opposition the most formidable of all.
''Deed they canna say waur o' ye nor I think.Gang awa', an'
repent.Consider yer gray hairs, man.'
This was the severest blow he had yet received.He left the room, 'swearing at large.'
Falconer followed him; but what came of it nobody ever heard.
Major and Miss Hamilton were married within three months, and went out to India together, taking Nancy Kennedy with them.
