This would not have happened had Mrs Ogilvy been at home--the voices would not have been loud enough to be audible so clearly out of doors; for the respect of things out of doors and of possible listeners, and all the safeguards of decorum, were always involved in her presence. Also, that story would not have been told; there was a woman in it who was not a good woman, nor well treated by Lew’s strong speech: therefore everything that happened afterwards no doubt sprang from that visit of Mrs Ogilvy’s to Edinburgh; and, indeed, she herself had foreseen, if not this harm, which she could not have divined, at least harm of some kind proceeding from the self-indulgence to which for one afternoon she gave way. “No, Miss Susie, the mistress is no in, and I canna understand it. She went to Edinburgh to see her man of business, but was to be back long before the dinner. The gentlemen--that is, Mr Robert and his friend--are just at the end o’t, as ye may hear them talking. I’ll just run ben and tell Mr Robert you are here.” “Don’t do that on any account, Janet. Mrs Ainslie is with me, sitting on the bench outside, and she has lost her breath coming up the hill. Probably she would like a glass of water or something. Don’t disturb Mr Robert. It is of no consequence. I’ll come and see Mrs Ogilvy another day.” “You are a sight for sore een as it is. The mistress misses ye awfu’, Miss Susie: you’re no kind to her, and her in trouble.” “In trouble, Janet! now that Robbie has come home!” “Oh, Miss Susie, wherever there are men folk there is trouble; but I’ll get a glass of wine for the lady.” Janet’s passage into the dining-room to get the wine was signalised by an immediate lowering of the tone of the conversation going on within. She came out carrying a glass of sherry, and was reluctantly followed by Robert, who came into the drawing-room, somewhat down-looked and shamefaced, to see his old companion and playmate. Janet, for her part, took the sherry to Mrs Ainslie, who had drawn her veil, a white one, over her face, concealing a little her agitated and excited countenance. The lady was profuse in her thanks, swallowed the wine hastily, and gave back the glass to Janet, almost pushing her away. “Thanks, thanks very much; that will do. Now leave me quiet a little to recover myself.” “Maybe you would like to lie down on the sofa in the drawing-room out of the sun. The mistress is no in, but Mr Robert is there with Miss Susie.”