Hoo far is't, Auntie?"
"Gaein' and giein' awa' yer siller to beggars as gin 't war stew
(dust), jist to be a gran' lady! Ye're nane sae gran', _I_ can tell ye.
An' syne comin' to puir fowk like me to tak' ye in for a week or twa!
Weel I wat!"
Auntie had been listening to evil tongues???-so much easier to listen to
than just tongues. With difficulty Annie kept back her tears. She made
no defence; tried to eat the porridge which her aunt set before her;
and departed. Before three hours were over, she had the charge of the
dairy and cooking at Willowcraig for the next six months of coming
winter and spring. Protected from suspicion, her spirits rose all the
cheerier for their temporary depression, and she went singing about the
house like a _lintie_.
"As she did not appear at breakfast, and was absent from the
dinner-table as well, Mrs Forbes set out with Alec to inquire after
her, and not knowing where else to go first, betook herself to Robert
Bruce. He showed more surprise than pleasure at seeing Alec, smiling
with his own acridness as he said,
"I doobt ye haena brocht hame that barrel o' ile ye promised me, Mr
Alec? It wad hae cleared aff a guid sheave o' yer mither's debts.
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