A Knight of the Nets | Page 5

"What for?"
"I have my reasons."
"No doubt you have a 'because' of your own. But what will Andrew say?
He is not expecting you to leave to-morrow."
"I don't care what Andrew says."
"Sophy Traill!"
"I don't. Andrew Binnie is not the whole of life to me."
"Whatever is the matter with you?"
"Nothing."
Then there was a pause, and Christina's thoughts flew seaward. In a few
minutes, however, Sophy began talking again. "Do you go often into
Largo, Christina?" she asked.

"Whiles, I take myself that far. You may count me up for the last year;
for I sought you every time."
"Ay! Do you mind on the road a real grand house, fine and old, with a
beautiful garden and peacocks in it--trailing their long feathers over the
grass and gravel?"
"You will be meaning Braelands? Folks could not miss the place, even
if they tried to."
"Well then, did you ever notice a young man around? He is always
dressed for the saddle, or else he is in the saddle, and so most sure to
have a whip in his hand."
"What are you talking about? What is the young man to you?"
"He is brawly handsome. They call him Archie Braelands."
"I have heard tell of him. And by what is said, I should not think he was
an improving friend for any good girl to have."
"This, or that, he likes me. He likes me beyond everything."
"Do you know what you are saying, Sophy Traill?"
"I do, fine."
"Are you liking him?"
"It would not be hard to do."
"Has he ever spoke to you?"
"Well, he is not as shy as a fisher-lad. I find him in my way when I'm
not thinking. And see here, Christina; I got a letter from him this
afternoon. A real love letter! Such lovely words! They are like poetry;
they are as sweet as singing."
"Did you tell Andrew this?"

"Why would I do that?"
"You are a false little cutty, then. I would tell Andrew myself, but I am
loath to hurt his true heart. Now you are to let Archie Braelands alone,
or I will know the reason why."
"Preserve us all! What a blazing passion for nothing at all! Can't a
lassie chat with a lad for a half hour without calling a court of sessions
about it?" and she rose and shook out her dress, saying with an air of
offence:--
"You may tell Andrew, if you like to. It would be a very poor thing if a
girl is to be miscalled every time a man told her she was pretty."
"I'm not saying any woman can help men making fools of themselves;
but you should have told Braelands that you were all the same as
married, being promised so long to Andrew Binnie. And you ought to
have told Andrew about the letter."
"Everybody can't live in Pittendurie, Christina. And if you live with a
town full of folk, you cannot go up and down, saying to every man you
meet, 'please, sir, I have a lad of my own, and you are not to cast a look
at me, for Andrew Binnie would not like it."
"Hold your tongue, Sophy, or else know what you are yattering about. I
would think shame to talk so scornful of the man I was going to
marry."
"You can let it go for a passing remark. And if I have said anything to
vex you, we are old friends, Christina, and it is not a lad that will part
us. Sophy requires a deal of forgiving."
"She does," said Christina with a smile; "so I just forgive her as I go
along, for she is still doing something out of the way. But you must not
treat Andrew ill. I could not love you, Sophy, if you did the like of that.
And you must always tell me everything about yourself, and then
nothing will go far wrong."

"Even that. I am not given to lying unless it is worth my while. I'll tell
you aught there is to tell. And there is a kiss for Andrew, and you may
say to him that I would have told him I was going back to Largo in the
morning, only that I cannot bear to see him unhappy. That a message to
set him on the mast-head of pride and pleasure."
"I will give Andrew the kiss and the message, Sophy. And you take my
advice, and keep yourself clear of that young Braelands. I am particular
about my own good name, and I mean to be particular about yours."
"I have had your advice already, Christina."
"Well, this is a forgetful world, so I just mention the fact again."
"All the same, you might