Kirsteen: The Story of a Scotch Family Seventy Years AgoOliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
General
Kirsteen: The Story of a Scotch Family Seventy Years Ago
Oliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
Domestic fiction; Scotland -- Fiction
She was nearly dressed when Miss Jean came with a gentle tap at the
door. “I was thinking you would perhaps like your breakfast in bed, my
dear young lady. You have had a dreadful journey. From Glasgow in two
days and cramped up in the coach the whole time. But bless me, you are
already dressed,” she added, scanning the gown in which Kirsteen had
just clothed herself, from head to foot, or rather from hem to throat.
Miss Jean looked it all over, and gave it a twitch here and there, and
smoothed the shoulders with her hand. “It’s not ill made for the
country,” she said, “and fits you well enough, but these little puffed
sleeves are out of fashion for morning dress. You must let me put you in
the mode, Miss Douglas, before ye are seen in the world.”
Miss Jean herself wore a stuff gown, crossed over upon the bosom, and
open at the neck which was covered with a neckerchief of voluminous
white net, underneath the gown. She wore a brown front with little
curls, and a close cap tied under her chin for morning wear, with a
large and long muslin apron trimmed round with muslin work and lace. She
had a large and ruddy countenance with eyes like Marg’ret’s, kind and
soft. Kirsteen was surprised to find, however, how little in the morning
was the resemblance which she had thought so great in the night.
Marg’ret, though the virtual mistress of the house at home, never
changed the dress and aspect of a servant woman for anything more
becoming the housekeeper. But Miss Jean was more imposing than many of
the country ladies, with a large gold watch like a small warming-pan
hooked to her side, and her handkerchief fastened by a brooch of real
pearls. To have this personage addressing her so respectfully, looking
forward to her entry into the grand world, overwhelmed the girl who
already she felt owed her so much.
“Oh,” she said, “Miss Jean--I have not come to London to be seen in the
world. I’m just a poor runaway from home. I promised Marg’ret I would
tell you everything. Nothing can change the Douglas blood. We have that,
but we have little more; and all my father thinks of is to push on the
boys and restore the old family. The lassies are just left to shift for
themselves.”
“That is often the case, my dear young lady. Ye must just marry, and do
as well for yourselves in that way.”
“We are three of us at home, and we can do nothing, and what does it
matter being a Douglas if ye have no siller? I’ve come away, not to see
the world, but to make my fortune, Miss Jean.”
Miss Jean threw up her hands in dismay. “Bless the bairn, to make her
fortune!” she cried.
“That’s just what I intend,” cried Kirsteen. “I’ll not marry a man to
deceive him when I care for nothing but his money. I’ll marry no man,
except--and I’ve just come to London to work for my living--and make my
fortune, if I can.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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