The fact was, that, like not a few old people, Lord Mergwain had fallen into such a habit of speaking in his worse moods without the least restraint, that in his better moods, which were indeed only good by comparison, he spoke in the same way, without being aware of it, and of himself seldom discovering that he had spoken. The rest of the breakfast passed in peace. The visitors had tea, oatcake, and scons, with fresh butter and jam; and Lady Joan, for all the frost and snow, had yet a new-laid egg--the only one; while the laird and Cosmo ate their porridge and milk--the latter very scanty at this season of the year, and tasting not a little of turnip--and Grizzie, seated on a stool at some distance from the table, took her porridge with treacle. Mrs. Warlock had not yet left her room. When the meal was over, Lord Mergwain turned to his host, and said, “Will you oblige me, Mr. Warlock, by sending orders to my coachman to have the horses put to as quickly as possible: we must not trespass more on your hospitality.--Confound me if I stop an hour longer in this hole of a place, though it be daylight!” “Papa!” cried Lady Joan. His lordship understood, looked a little confused, and with much readiness sought to put the best face on his blunder. “Pardon me, Mr. Warlock,” he said; “I have always had a bad habit of speech, and now that I am an old man, I don’t improve on it.” “Don’t mention it, my lord,” returned the laird. “I will go and see about the carriage; but I am more than doubtful.” He left the kitchen, and Cosmo followed him. Lord Mergwain turned to his daughter and said, “What does the man mean? I tell you, Joan, I am going at once. So don’t you side with him if he wants us to stop. He may have his reasons. I knew this confounded place before you were born, and I hate it.” “Very good, papa!” replied Lady Joan, with a slight curl of her lip. “I don’t see why you should fancy I should like to stop.” They had spoken aloud, regardless of the presence of Grizzie. “May it be lang afore ye’re in a waur an’ a warmer place, my lord an’ my lady,” said the old woman, with the greatest politeness of manner she knew how to assume. When people were rude, she thought she had a right to be rude in return. But they took no more notice than if they had not heard. CHAPTER XVI. THROUGH THE DAY.