Part 29 (2/2)
”At Mrs. Fremont's. I am here at Miss Gurney's invitation, and her friends have been very kind to me. We have been here a little more than three weeks.”
”An' ye never sent me word! If I had kent ye were here, I wad hae sent doon for ye afore.”
”You are very kind, indeed, Mr. McDonald, but I am here with friends this time, and I am afraid I cannot leave them.”
”Hoot, noo! ye needna leave them; there's room at the farm for ye a'. Hoo mony is there besides this ane?”
”One young man.”
And catching sight of Lancy, a short distance away, she called his name and he stepped at once to her side.
”This is Mr. Gurney, a brother to my friend here.”
”Ay, ay; I remember him,” greeting Lancy heartily. ”An' hoo dae ye like the look o' the Islan'?”
”Very much, indeed!” Lancy replied. ”It is a fine place, and we have been enjoying ourselves immensely.”
”But ye haena been up oor way yet! If I'd only kent ye were here I wad hae had ye up afore this,” he repeated.
”Thank you kindly, Mr. McDonald, but we could hardly impose on your good-nature as far as that.”
”Impose, is't? Ma dear sir, it's prood an' happy we wad be to hae ye come to see us. You maun gie me yer promise to come afore ye gang back to Halifax. The gran'mother wad be sair hurt at no seein' ye. Whan could ye come, noo?” turning to Dexie.
Just then Beatrice Fremont came towards them, and her smile of recognition told Dexie that the farmer was well known to her.
”I did not know you were acquainted with my friends, Mr. McDonald,” and she extended her hand.
”I ken her faither weel, an' I met the dochter whan I was abroad,” he replied with a smile, ”but I never expected to meet ony Halifax folk the day. It's her faither that did me the kindness whan I was in Halifax that I'll never forget, an' it's weel pleased I am to meet them. Is't at your place they are staying, Miss Fremont?”
”Yes,” replied Beatrice, smiling, ”but I think I heard you trying to coax them away from us, Mr. McDonald.”
He looked up into the bright face and replied:
”Ay, I want to show them that I dinna forget their kindness to me whan I was a stranger in a strange land, an' no wis.h.i.+n' to rob ye o' yer visitors at a', I was tryin' to hae them say whan they wad come up to the farm, for it's masel' that'll come efter them, whanever they say the word.”
”You need not be afraid to accept the invitation, girls,” said Beatrice, as the farmer turned to say a few words to Lancy. ”Your presence would cause no trouble; they are always so glad to have visitors that it is a pleasure to go. I spent several weeks there last summer, and I know they would all be glad to see you.”
”It is well enough for Dexie to go,” said Elsie, ”but it would be very rude for me to go on such short acquaintance.”
”There, Elsie, I stand condemned. Behold me, a visitor at Mrs. Fremont's, and we never knew of each other's existence before the visit was planned,”
said Dexie.
”But this is different, Dexie,” Elsie hurried to explain.
”The difference is in your favor, Elsie.”
”I think I can promise that they will be as glad to see you both at the farm as we were to have you here, and you know your being no relation does not matter to us.”
”Well, I would dearly love to go,” Dexie said. ”It will be such a chance to see that part of the country, and by the way papa speaks of the McDonald homestead we would like it very much.”
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