Rose Galbraith (29 page)

But suddenly Gordon straightened up and said: “But now, what is all this about going to Edinburgh? Can I go too? Because I'm not going to let you out of my sight while I'm here, and when I have to go, I want to take you back with me.”

Then they had to talk about that for a few minutes. Rose almost lost her breath entirely at the thought. Go back with Gordon as his wife! It brought a glow to her cheeks that lasted a long time. It was too new a thought to be dismissed lightly.

But then suddenly Rose realized that the boys would be coming back in a few minutes and they would be called to lunch. She must tell Gordon about her letter from Aunt Janet.

In the end the story was told very rapidly. But Gordon gave instant attention when she began to tell about Lord MacCallummore and her uncle's talk that she had overheard. His eyes were upon her lovely face as she talked, and now and again his hand would reach up and just touch her cheek lightly with the tip of his finger, as one touches something very precious indeed. And then at last she brought out her aunt's two letters which she had been comparing when he arrived, and while he read them, her hand was in his and she was watching him and trying to take it in that henceforth he would belong to her, and they would be together as long as they both should live. How wonderful God was to her.

When he had finished he looked up, handing back the letters.

“Why, of course you will go,” he said gravely. “You would always feel condemned if you didn't. It is a chance to do what you call ‘testify,' isn't it?” And his face lighted like one who had succeeded in speaking a foreign tongue so that it could be understood.

She flashed back a smile.

“You have been reading the book I sent you,” she charged.

“Yes,” he said, “and it was great! And now I'm trying to live it. You know, a book is no good unless you can put it into practice—unless it's
worth
putting into practice. And I've learned that about the Bible, too. You read a little way till you find some direction and then you go out and live it until you find out what it was the Lord was trying to call your attention to when you read it.”

“Oh, Gordon, it's going to be so wonderful to have us interested in the same things!”

“Isn't it!” said Gordon, pressing her hand softly. “My sweet! My little sweet girl! And to think I went to school with you all those years and never knew how dear you were till you went sailing away out of my life, and I only had a chance to kiss you good-bye.”

And then the old car came rattling up to the gate, and Donald and David came pell mell up to the house and out again as soon as their mother had told them to give that newcomer a “once-over.” They were keen-eyed lads, those two, and they saw at once what their cousin's friend was like, and were satisfied.

And when the introductions were over, David was impatient to be gone. “Shall we go?” he asked.

“Mither said come an' eat. There's Kirsty. Let's go!” said Donald.

They went into the house, and Gordon stood among them as one of them, exactly as if he had known them a long time.

“Three braw laddies,” said Jessie, looking at them pridefully. “I mind yir name's Gordon. That'll be a guid Scotch name.”

“Yes.” Gordon said with a grin. “I've been banking on that a lot to pass with you all. And now, Aunt Jessie, I may as well tell you the whole thing. I came over here to marry your niece and take her home with me. Now, perhaps you won't want me to call you that yet.”

Aunt Jessie gave a quick look at Rose, and then at the rest of them and smiled.

“Who wud have suspected that?” said Aunt Jessie comically. “Wi' Rose a-snatchin' for yir letters as if they wes meat and drink! Now what a braw laddie! Anither new laddie to ca' me Aunt Jessie! God be praised. A' like ye fine!”

And then out came Grandmother, walking over and taking his hand in hers, studying his smiling face there above her.

“Ye'll dae,” she said with decision. “A' can trust ye with my wee Rose.” And suddenly she reached up her two hands to each side of his face and pulled him down and kissed him fairly on his lips. “A guid laddie,” she said, with his hands in hers. “A'm sateesfied!” Then she smiled.

Gordon bent and kissed her brow reverently where the silver hair parted on her forehead. And standing up straight and solemn he said, “I'm proud to have passed
that
examination. I think that has meant more to me than a degree from any university would mean.”

They sat down at the table and the old lady, with her eyes on the guest, said, “Gordon will return thanks!” She looked straight at him with the challenge. Gordon, with heightened color, bowed his head. It happened that he had never been asked to serve in that way before, but he spoke with tender reverence.

“Lord, we thank Thee for this coming together, and for this food, and for the fellowship we have with Thee. Bless and lead us today for Thy name's sake. Amen.”

No one said anything as they raised their heads, and Jessie began to serve the rich Scotch broth and to pass the bread. But there was a feeling in the air that Gordon had passed even a far greater examination than before.

Kirsty was quiet and busy, watching the guest now and then, and Rose looked up.

“Kirsty, you're going along with us. Can you spare her, Aunt Jessie? She can be seeing the sights of Edinburgh while Gordon and I go in to see Aunt Janet.”

And so Kirsty went with them, and very soon they were on their way, the boys and their sister in front and Rose and Gordon in the backseat.

“You can talk better together that way,” said Donald wisely, “and belike there'll be plenty tae say. Ye'll not be feelin' that we're watchin' ye a'l the time, either,” he added with a grin and a wink.

“Yes,” said Rose, a little troubled. “We must plan what to say when we get there. I must tell Gordon all about the MacCallummores.”

“But do you really think that
I
should go in?” asked Gordon anxiously. “Won't I seem to be intruding?”

“Belike you'll gang in wi' 'er or she wull nae gang hersel',” said Donald fiercly. “It's no safe for her inside thae walls. Ye'll gang, or else I'll gang mysel', an' that winna be guid!”

So they began to discuss the matter, and Gordon said yes, if it was a matter of Rose's safety, of course he would go.

But they had a happy drive in spite of the errand that weighed so heavily on them, and late in the afternoon they arrived at the castle. There was grave silence as they followed the winding drive up to the massive structure above them.

“I shall never forget this sight,” said Gordon proudly. “It may be a thing of menace, but it's a proud one, and I'm glad I saw it.”

After they had made an agreement as to the time they would return, Rose and Gordon got out and mounted the steps to the door, and Donald drove his old car slowly down the winding road while David and Kirsty kept a furtive watch out for when Thomas would open the door.

“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.”