There were some who shook their heads, and there were some who answered more cordially--Thomasine’s husband had been as much discussed in the parish as a more important alliance could have been. And under the shelter of this new inquiry most of the guests stole away. Mrs Ainslie herself was one of the last to go. She put once more an arm round Susie. “Are you coming, my love? I should like to walk with you,” she said. “Not yet, Mrs Ainslie,” said Susan, with rising colour. She freed herself from the embrace with a little haste. “I have not seen Mrs Ogilvie for a long time.” “You have not seen me either,” said the stranger playfully and tenderly, shaking a finger at her; “but it is right that new friends, even when they’re dear friends, should yield to old friends,” she said, with a little sigh and smile. She made a very graceful exit considering all things, and Susie’s presence prevented even the lingerer who went last from murmuring a private word as she had wished. When they were all gone, Susie placed herself by her old friend’s side. “They worry you, these folk; they come to you with all their clashes. What was it this time? I saw they were stopped by me. It was not that old business,” said Susie, with a blush, “about Johnny Maitland? I thought that was all past and gone.” “It was not that--it was rather this lady, this English person that stopped all their mouths before you came in. She is a very wyss-like woman, though her manners are strange to me. As I said to your father, she’s well put-on and well looking. Do you like her, Susie?” “Me! I’ve no occasion not to like her, Mrs Ogilvy.” “I was not asking that. Do you like her, Susie?” Upon which Susie began to laugh. “What can I say?-- ‘I dinna like ye, Doctor Fell, The reason why I canna tell.’ I’ve no occasion not to like her. She is always very kind, a little too kind, to me--I am not fond of all that kissing--but it is perhaps just her way. I am not very fond of her, to tell the truth.” “Nor am I, Susie; but she is maybe well enough if we were not prejudiced.” “Oh yes, she is well enough,--she is more than that; and papa thinks there is nobody like her,” she added, with a laugh. “Ah! your papa has an opinion on the subject?” “And why not? He has a great eye for the ladies. Did you not know that? I think I like her the less because he makes so much of her. There was that party she had for the marriage, I never hear the end of it. It was all so nice, and so little trouble, and no fuss, and no expense, and so forth. How can he tell it was no expense?--all the things were sent out from Edinburgh!” said Susie, offended in her pride of housekeeping; “and as for the sandwiches and things, I have seen the very same in Edinburgh parties, and not so very new either. I could make them perfectly myself!”