The housekeeper at the castle was a good woman, and very kind to
Donal, feeling perhaps that he fell to her care the more that he was
by birth of her own class; for it was said in the castle, "the tutor
makes no pretence to being a gentleman." Whether he was the more or
the less of one on that account, I leave my reader to judge
according to his capability. Sometimes when his dinner was served,
mistress Brookes would herself appear, to ensure proper attention to
him, and would sit down and talk to him while he ate, ready to rise
and serve him if necessary. Their early days had had something in
common, though she came from the southern highlands of green hills
and more sheep. She gave him some rather needful information about
the family; and he soon perceived that there would have been less
peace in the house but for her good temper and good sense.
Lady Arctura was the daughter of the last lord Morven, and left sole
heir to the property; Forgue and his brother Davie were the sons of
the present earl. The present lord was the brother of the last, and
had lived with him for some years before he succeeded. He was a man
of peculiar and studious habits; nobody ever seemed to take to him;
and since his wife's death, his health had been precarious. Though
a strange man, he was a just if not generous master. His brother
had left him guardian to lady Arctura, and he had lived in the
castle as before.
Pages:
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136