slave to them for years
without knowing it.

She discussed him with other mothers as if he were her little boy, and
he denounced her for it. But all the time she was spoiling him. Formerly
he had got on very well when nothing was in its place. Now he roared
helplessly if he mislaid his razor.

He was determined to make a lady of her, which necessitated her being
sent to school; she preferred hemming, baking and rubbing things till
they shone, and not both could have had their way (which sounds fatal
for the man), had they not arranged a compromise, Grizel, for instance,
to study geography for an hour in the evening with Miss Langlands (go to
school in the daytime she would not) so long as the doctor shaved every
morning, but if no shave no geography; the doctor to wipe his pen on the
blot-sheet instead of on the lining of his coat if she took three
lessons a week from Miss Oram on the spinet. How happy and proud she
was! Her glee was a constant source of wonder to McQueen. Perhaps she
put on airs a little, her walk, said the critical, had become a strut;
but how could she help that when the new joyousness of living was
dancing and singing within her?

Had all her fears for the future rolled away like clouds that leave no
mark behind? The doctor thought so at times, she so seldom spoke of them
to him; he did not see that when they came she hid them from him because
she had discovered that they saddened him. And she had so little time to
brood, being convinced of the sinfulness of sitting still, that if the
clouds came suddenly, they never stayed long save once, and then it was,
mayhap, as well. The thunderclap was caused by Tommy, who brought it on
unintentionally and was almost as much scared by his handiwork as Grizel
herself. She and he had been very friendly of late, partly because they
shared with McQueen the secret of the frustrated elopement, partly
because they both thought that in that curious incident Tommy had
behaved in a most disinterested and splendid way. Grizel had not been
sure of it at first, but it had grown on Tommy, he had so thoroughly
convinced himself of his intention to get into the train with her at
Tilliedrum that her doubts were dispelled--easily dispelled, you say,
but the truth must be told, Grizel was very anxious to be rid of them.
And Tommy's were honest convictions, born full grown of a desire for
happiness to all. Had Elspeth discovered how nearly he had deserted her,
the same sentim