But what was my surprise when, as soon as we were on the cobble stones, the Lady Frances turned sharply upon Irma, and said, quite in the style of my Lady Kirkpatrick, "And now, Irma Maitland, since your husband has no house or any place to take you to, you had better come to my house in the Sciennes till he can make proper arrangements. It is not at all suitable that a Maitland should be on a common stair like a travelling tinker looking for lodgings." Hearing which the neat, shining, dimpling little Advocate turned his bright eyes from one to the other of us, and tapped his tortoise-shell snuffbox with a kind of elvish joy. It was clear that we were better than many stage-plays to him. As for Irma, she looked at me, but now sweetly and innocently, as if asking for counsel, not haughty or disdainful as had been her wont. The accusation of poverty touched me, and I was on the point of telling her to choose for herself, that I would find her a house as soon as possible, when Amelia Craven thrust herself forward. Up to this point she had kept silent, a little awed by the great folk, or perhaps by the church, with the red hangings and twinkling, mysterious candles on the altar. "I do not know a great deal," she said, "but this I do know, that a wife's place is with her husband--and especially when the 'love, honour and obey' is hardly out of her mouth. She shall come home to my mother's with me, even if Duncan MacAlpine there has not enough sense to bid her." Upon which the Advocate strove (or at least appeared to strive) to please everybody and put everybody in the right. It was perhaps natural that, till arrangements were completed, so young a bride should remain with her family. But, on the other hand, young people could not begin too soon to face the inevitable trials of life. The feelings of the young lady who had expressed her mind in so lively a manner--Miss--Miss--ah yes, Craven--Miss Amelia Craven--did her all honour. It only remained to hear the decision of--of (a smirk, several dimples and a prolonged tapping on the lid of his snuffbox)--_Mistress Duncan MacAlpine_. "I will go with my husband," said Irma simply. "There's for you, Frances!" cried the Advocate, turning to his companion with a little teasing "hee-hee" of laughter, almost like the neigh of a horse; "there spoke all the woman." But Lady Frances had very deliberately turned about and was walking, without the least greeting or farewell, in the direction of her own house of Sciennes. "There goes a Kirkpatrick," said the Advocate, tapping his box cynically; "cry with them, they will hunt your enemies till they drop. Cry off with them, and it's little you will see of them but the back of their hand." He touched my Irma on her soft cheek with the tips of his fingers. "And I wish, for your goodman's sake," he said, "that this little lady's qualities do not run in the female line." "I hope," said Irma, "that I shall always have grace to obey my husband."