Part 11 (1/2)
”Now Ariel goes a-singing, by the olden Dark yews, where flitter-mice were wont to cling.
All the world is turning golden, turning golden In the spring.”
(_Nora Hopper--”April”_)
”Guess the latest news, Ted,” said my brother, coming in from parochial visits.
I shook my head.
”I'm no hand at riddles.”
”Well, there's a marriage to come off in our parish before long, if matters can be satisfactorily arranged.”
”A marriage!” That roused me; it would be the first function of the kind I had seen in Ardmuirland. For our lads usually fetched partners from elsewhere, and maidens being accustomed to migrate to service in the south, found mates there--even as the swallows.
”I thought that would fetch you!” cried Val triumphant. ”And now give a guess.”
But I racked my brains to no purpose.
”It's not Widow Lamont, and it's not Robina----”
”Why not?” he asked. But I saw he was quizzing.
”It's a widow,” he said. ”I'll tell you that much.”
Even then I was nonplussed.
”Ted, you've no imagination! Is Christian Logan too old?”
”Christian Logan! Of course not! Who's the happy man?”
”He's not altogether happy yet,” returned Val. ”There are obstacles in the way at present. Do you know the Camerons of Redbank Farm at all?”
”Camerons of Redbank! Why, they're Protestants!”
”Tell me something I don't know already,” he retorted.
”I can say very little about them. There are two brothers, I believe--one very middle-aged and the other less so. I may have pa.s.sed the time of day with one or the other.”
”Well, it's the less middle-aged one--Lachlan by name--who wants to marry Christian. It's all right about religion. He's ready to make all the necessary promises, and moreover, remarked quite spontaneously that he intended coming to church with his wife after they were married--a most unusual undertaking in these cases. He's evidently merely ignorant of everything Catholic; not bigoted, really. With a wife like Christian, he is most likely to enter the Church himself eventually.”
”But what are these almost insurmountable obstacles?”
”Chiefly financial. It seems that the elder brother is the actual tenant of Redbank, and Lachlan is little better than a farm-servant at present. It would be scarcely possible for the poor chap to support a wife and three of a ready-made family on the wages of a mere plowman--except, of course, in the style of a common laborer, and he is far above that. The best way out of the difficulty would be for Christian to manage the house at Redbank, instead of a paid housekeeper; but the old brother is bitter against Catholics, and more opposed to young children in the house. Hence these tears! Don't you think there are rather respectable obstacles to be overcome?”
”Quite. So what did you suggest?”
”Cameron himself suggested what I think a reasonable solution: to try for some situation as farm bailiff or manager. He is thoroughly up to it all, for he has been practically managing things at Redbank for the last year or two, and has plenty of experience in farm work.”
”He ought to be able to find something of the sort. Could the factor at Taskerton do anything for him, do you think? Christian has already lost a husband in the service of the estate, and it would be but rest.i.tution to provide her with another.”