‘I left nothing uncertain last night!’ she said, turning upon him.  ’Major Seaton knows that, if he will take the trouble to remember.  And Dingee, if you bring me another message—­of any sort—­before I whistle for you, I will put you out of service for a month.  Now go!’

‘Is that the way you punish unlucky servitors?’ said Rollo, looking much amused.

She had come back to her grapes, giving them the closest attention, feeling shy and nervous and disturbed to any point; but now fun got the upper hand.  So first she bit her lips, and then—­the laugh must come!  Clear and ringing and mirthsome, as if there was never a growl in all the world.

‘That is one way,’ she said.

‘Sounds peaceable,’ said Rollo demurely, though smiling; ’but I don’t know!  I am afraid it might prove very severe.  What is the appeal from one of your sentences?’

’There is none.  I am a Mede and a Persian combined.  Byo, why don’t you give Mr. Rollo some cream with his peaches, and postpone me till another time?’

‘She’ll have to postpone me, too,’ said Rollo.  ’I must go.  Shall I come for you at four o’clock?  It will be too hot, I am afraid, before; and we have a good way to go.’

CHAPTER XXIX.

JEANNIE DEANS.

It wanted some time of four o’clock yet, when Miss Kennedy came quietly into Mr. Falkirk’s study and sat down by the window.

‘Are you at leisure, sir?’ she said, intertwining her fingers in a careless sort of way among the vines that hung there.

’My dear, I have been at leisure so long that I wish I could say I was busy.  But I am not busy.  What is it, Miss Hazel?’

‘Only a few business questions, sir,’ she said, attending to the vines.  ’Will you let me ride with Major Seaton on Thursday?’

‘Would you like to go with him?’

‘I always like to ride, sir.’

’You have not a horse yet, my dear; that is a difficulty.  I do not know this Major Seaton’s horses—­nor himself.’

’Quite reliable, sir—­according to him.  Will you let me ride with Mr. Rollo this afternoon?’

’I suppose there is no good reason to be assigned against that,’ said Mr. Falkirk, rather growingly, and after a pause.  It sounded a little as if he would have liked it if the fact had been otherwise.

‘You consider Wednesday a more safe day than Thursday, sir?’

’I am not superstitious, Miss Hazel.  The only thing I ever was in fear of is enchantment!’

’Well sir,—­you have doubtless studied the case enough to know which is the more “enchanting” of the two,’ said Miss Hazel, daringly.  ‘Shall I give Mr. May a ride on Friday?’

‘Will you have a horse on Friday?’

’My horse seems to be a slow one, by the time it takes him to come,’ said Wych Hazel.  ’Will he be here this afternoon, Mr. Falkirk?’

‘I suppose Rollo will see to that,’ said Mr. Falkirk, beginning to turn about some papers that were on the table.