The open door showed Ermine, too tremulous to trust to her crutch, but leaning forward, her eyes liquid with tears of thankfulness.  The patient spirits had reached their home and haven, the earthly haven of loving hearts, the likeness of the heavenly haven, and as her head leant, at last, upon his shoulder, and his guardian arm encircled her, there was such a sense of rest and calm that even the utterance of their inward thanksgiving, or of a word of tenderness would have jarred upon them.  It was not till a knock and message at the door interrupted them, that they could break the blessed stillness.

“And there you are, my Ermine!” said Colin, standing on the hearth-rug, and surveying her with satisfied eyes.  “You are a queenly looking dame in your black draperies, and you look really well, much better than Rachel led me to expect.”

“Ah! when she was here I had no fixed day to look forward to.  And receiving our poor little orphan baby was not exactly like receiving his uncle, though Rachel seemed to think it ought to make up for anything.”

“She was thoroughly softened by that child!  It was a spirited thing her bringing him down here on the Monday when we started for Scotland, and then coming all the way alone with her maid.  I did not think Alick would have consented, but he said she would always be the happier for having deposited her charge in your hands.”

“It was a great wrench to her.  I felt it like robbery when she put the little fellow down on my lap and knelt over him, not able to get herself away, but saying that she was not fit to have him; she could not bear it if she made him hate her as Conrade did!  I am glad she has had his first smile, she deserves it.”

“Is Tibbie in charity with him?”

“Oh, more than in charity!  She did not take the first announcement of his coming very amiably; but when I told her she was to reign in the nursery, and take care the poor little chief know the sound of a Scots’ tongue, she began to thaw; and when he came into the house, pity or loyalty, or both, flamed up hotly, and have quite relieved me; for at first she made a baby of me, and was a perfect dragon of jealousy at poor Ailie’s doing anything for me.  It was a rich scene when Rachel began giving her directions out of ’Hints for the Management of Infants,’ just in the old voice, and Tibbie swept round indignantly, ’His Lordship, Lord Keith of Gowanbrae, suld hae the best tendance she could gie him.  She did na lippen to thae English buiks, as though she couldna rear a wean without bulk learning.’  Poor Rachel nearly cried, and was not half comforted by my promising to study the book as much as she pleased.”

“It will never do to interfere with Tibbie, and I own I am much of her opinion, I had rather trust to her than to Rachel, or the book!”

“Well, the more Rachel talked book, the more amiable surprise passed between her mother and Lady Temple that the poor little follow should have lived at all, and I believe they were very angry with me for thinking her views very sensible.  Lady Temple is so happy with him.  She says it is so melancholy to have a house without a baby, that she comes in twice or three times a day to console herself with this one.”