Married people -- Fiction; Mothers-in-law -- Fiction
"No. He is going to take them home again, when the school closes in
June--perhaps before."
"Then, Margaret?"
"Then you could go with him?"
They went over and over this plan, constantly evolving new fears and new
advantages, and were yet in the fever of the discussion, when Mr.
Kennedy and David returned. It was both David's and Ducie's first visit
to a circus, and after a few minutes' rapturous description, they were
permitted to go to another room and talk over the enchanting scenes.
Then Mrs. Oliphant said: "Come now, David Campbell, and tell your sister
Theodora how heartily you are at her service." And the supposed Mr.
Kennedy took Theodora's hands, and said: "My dear sister. I have known
all your sad life for the last half-year. I am here to help you."
But Theodora looked amazed and even troubled, and he sat down at her
side and continued: "I am really David Campbell, your husband's elder
brother. I am also the foster-son of Mrs. McNab, and I have heard all
from her, and have been waiting here, knowing that the end to a life so
unhappy must come, and wondering that you have borne it so long."
Then Theodora remembered that she had heard from Ducie, that McNab had a
son come home from foreign parts, and that he took her out frequently,
and gave her many presents. And she looked into her brother-in-law's
face for some trace of his relationship, but could find none. David
Campbell was more Celt than Gael, he was tall and slender, had a gentle
voice and a manner that could only come from a good heart. His whole
appearance was aquiline and American, and he was dressed in the loose,
easy style of a citizen of the great Western Republic. After a most
critical survey, Theodora was ready to confess, that his visits to McNab
were perfectly safe from detection.
"I have sat with the servants in the kitchen, have eaten with them, and
heard all they could tell me of your life, Theodora; and now I am at
your service with all my heart."
"Then tell me what to do."
"First, let me go and see your father and mother. Your father will give
us good advice, and we will not move till we get it--unless some
desperate cause intervenes."
"Thank you. That is what I wish."
"Give me their address."
"I am sorry----"
"Say nothing, I entreat you! I have no other duty in Glasgow, but to
look after you, and my splendid little namesake. And I assure you, if I
saw any other way of bringing my dear brother to his senses, I would try
it first. But not until Robert has lost you, will he find out what you
really are to him."
"Have you seen your brother?"
"Many a time. I have even spoken to him, but he has no recollection of
me. He cannot, for he seldom saw me. I should not have known him if I
had met him anywhere but in the Campbell iron works. He is a hard master
to his men."
"But there is another Robert, I assure you, a Robert I only know--or
used to know. He was a noble, generous man, a man I loved with all my
soul."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account