"If my mother were only well!" continued Shenac Bhan, and the tears that
had risen to her eyes fell on her cheeks now. "We would be too happy
then, I suppose. But it seems sad enough that she should not be able to
enjoy it all, and take her own place in the new house, after all she has
gone through."
"Yes," said Shenac Dhu, "it is very sad."
"And yet I cannot but take pleasure in it; and perhaps it is foolish and
unkind to my mother too. Is it, Shenac?"
There were two or three pairs of eyes watching--no, not watching, but
seeing--the two girls from the doorstep, and Shenac Dhu drew her cousin
down the garden-path towards the plum-tree before she answered her.
Then she put her arms round her neck, and kissed her two or three times
before she answered,--
"You are not wrong or foolish. You are right to take pride and pleasure
in your brother and his house, and in all that belongs to him. And he
is just as proud of you, Shenac, my darling."
"That is nonsense, you know, Cousin Shenac," said Allister's sister; but
she smiled and blushed too, as she said it, with pure pleasure.
There was no chance after this to say anything more about the change,
real or supposed, that had taken place in Shenac Dhu, for she talked on,
allowing no pause till they had come quite round the garden and back to
the door-step; but Shenac Bhan knew all about it before she saw her
cousin again.
That night, as she was going home through the field with Allister, he
asked her rather suddenly,--
"What were you and Cousin Shenac speaking about to-night when you went
round the garden?"
"Allister," said his sister, "do you think Cousin Shenac is changed
lately?"
"Changed!" repeated Allister. "How?"
"Oh, of course you cannot tell; but she used to be so merry, and now she
is quite quiet and grave, and we hardly ever see her over with us now.
I was asking her what ailed her."
"And what did she say?"
"Oh, she laughed at me, and denied that anything ailed her, and then she
said she was growing wise. But I know something is wrong with her,
though she would not tell me."
"What do you think it is, Shenac?"
"I cannot tell. It is not only that she is quieter--I could understand
that; but she hardly ever comes over now, and something is vexing her,
I'm sure. Could it be anything Dan has said? He used to vex her
sometimes. What do you think it can be, Allister?"