Jenny leapt down instantly and cleverly took the first and worst word of accusation: ‘What do you mean, Peggy Ramsay? Am I a thief, think ye, that ye should ca’ in Cunnings or ony other woman to catch me for taking a look about me when I was brocht here to look after you, madam, and see to your belongings, and put you on the richt road to behaving like ane o’ the gentles? I can tell you it will be a long time before you do that, Peggy, my woman, when you begin by wyting your ain mither’s kith and kin for a cantrip, because you have said the word and you are my leddy now, and are not to be contered. Had I ever the name of being licht-fingered, Peggy Ramsay, when I had whole charge of a hantle grander braws than I’m like to see at Drumsheugh? What ill was I doing to the leddy’s claes by just giving them a bit turn and air and proper fauld up, which is beyond Cunnings’s power now that she is ower stiff to mount upon a chair? Has it crossed your mind what folk would think and say gin you ca’ed in ony o’ your servants--_your servants_--Peggy Ramsay, to stop your cuzin from looking over Mrs. Ramsay’s wardrobe? Do you want to brand me as a thief, mem?’ ‘Oh! Jenny, Jenny, how can you say sic words!’ cried Peggy, in an agony, willing to fling herself at her cousin’s feet, and beg her pardon a dozen times. ‘You ken that I ken you’re as honest as mysel’. I never dreamt of evening you to sic sin and shame. It would be insulting mysel’ and my mither and a’, as well as you! I niver, niver meant sic a wrang!’ ‘Weel, then, Peggy, you’ll better take care what you say, and think twice afore you speak again,’ said Jenny, not so much wrathfully as in delivering the calm warning of a deeply-injured woman. ‘I like you, Peggy, for auld lang syne, and I’ll do my best for you in spite o’ what has happened. But, I’m just flesh and blude after a’, and though you ha’e marriet a laird you maunna try to ride roch shod ower my head, and bleck my gude name!’ ‘Jenny, do you still believe I would?’ implored the weeping Peggy, but with an accent of indignant reproach in the pleading, which told Jenny she had gone far enough. ‘Na, I hardly think it,’ Jenny said with a return to reassuring, patronising kindness. ‘But you’re a young lassie and you’re uplifted a bit, nae doubt. Your best friend’s advice to you would be to take tent, and ca’ canny, and dinna lippen to your ain first thochts, till you’re aulder and wiser and less likely to be mista’en.’ Jenny came off the undoubted conqueror in the preliminary sparring, though she showed some wariness in pursuing her victory. She did not again enter old Mrs. Ramsay’s private domain and rummage among her personal possessions before Peggy. Jenny confined herself to what was the common ground of the laird and Peggy.