‘I daresay she is to be pitied, poor thing, with her man so long away, though he is recovering,’ she granted slowly and doubtfully, for even Primrose Ramsay’s prejudices were strong. ‘But has she not been very thoughtless, to say the least, in bringing so many of her own folk about her and letting them run riot--disturbing Drumsheugh and the neighbourhood by their pranks?’ Primrose ended more severely. ‘How could she help having her own folk when they were ordained, and placed about her by Drumsheugh and the auld lady? When no other body would look near her to see whether she could say her head or her feet were her ain, or speak or go but as her so-called servants would let her!’ maintained Peggy’s champion stoutly. ‘I grant you Peggy ocht to have been firm,’ he admitted, forgetting in the half-bitterness of the admission the scrupulous ceremony with which he had been previously naming his laird’s lady. ‘She should have stood like a rock and defied all inroads on her dignity and authority as the new-made Leddy and mistress of Drumsheugh--as you, madam, with your birth and breeding, would have done, no doubt. But when, you find a poor bit leveret behaving like the dog that chases him, or a lintie like the hawk that’s striking her down, then you may reasonably--you spak’ of reason, Miss Ramsay--count on sic behaviour from a meek, young creature like Peggy.’ ‘Has she no spirit of her own?’ Primrose was goaded on to inquire. ‘I do not know what you mean by spirit,’ said Balcairnie, doggedly. ‘She had enough spirit to do her mither’s bidding, and save the laird from being betrayed into becoming a scoundrel who might have ruined her and flung her to the dogs. But as for the spirit to hold her ain and keep off all that would rob and murder her, where her gudes and credit are concerned, I trow Peggy has not muckle of that spirit to boast of. There is some word about the wind being tempered to the shorn lamb. I wuss it may blaw lown ower Peggy’s grave, for, so far as I can see, the best thing she could do would be to dee soon, poor lass. Then when her head’s lying among the mools, the fact that it was ever raised to be one of the heads of the house of Drumsheugh may be forgiven her, and the scum of her folk cannot prey on her any longer.’ ‘Oh! do not say that,’ cried Primrose in real distress. ‘It cannot be so bad as that. Think of Drumsheugh who has cared so much for her--what would he do?’ ‘I’ve thocht of Drumsheugh long enough, ower long; I’m going to think of Peggy now and what she’s to do. It was I who brocht her hame to Drumsheugh, and I swear to you, Miss Ramsay, if I had kenned what the innocent, loving soul was coming to, I would suner the beast had fallen and broken his neck--baith of our necks. For it is true I was Drumsheugh’s aider and abettor--his blackfoot in courting Peggy Hedderwick. He was my friend and Peggy’s choice; it was not for me to conter them.’