hers for ever--a
matter of indefinable joy to her. That he was sending her to England did
not fret her, because it was his will, and he knew what was best. Busy
with her contented and yet somewhat dazed thoughts of him,--she was too
happy to be very active mentally, even if it had been the characteristic
of her race,--she was not at first aware how much notice she excited,
and how strange a figure she was in this staring city. When it did dawn
upon her she shrank a little, but still was placid, preferring to sit
with her hands folded in her lap, idly watching things. She appeared
oblivious that she was the wife of a man of family and rank; she was
only thinking that the man was hers--all hers. He had treated her kindly
enough in the days they were together, but she had not been a great deal
with him, because they travelled fast, and his duties were many, or he
made them so--but the latter possibility did not occur to her.

When he had hastily bidden her farewell at Port Arthur he had kissed
her and said: "Good-bye, my wife." She was not yet acute enough in the
inflections of Saxon speech to catch the satire--almost involuntary--in
the last two words. She remembered the words, however, and the kiss, and
she was quite satisfied. To what she was going she did not speculate. He
was sending her: that was enough.

The woman given to her as maid had been well chosen. Armour had done
this carefully. She was Scotch, was reserved, had a certain amount of
shrewdness, would obey instructions, and do her duty carefully. What she
thought about the whole matter she kept to herself; even the solicitor
at Montreal could not find out. She had her instructions clear in her
mind; she was determined to carry them out to the letter--for which she
was already well paid, and was like to be better paid; because Armour
had arranged that she should continue to be with his wife after they
got to England. She understood well the language of Lali's tribe,
and because Lali's English was limited she would be indispensable in
England.

Mackenzie, therefore, had responsibility, and if she was not elated
over it, she still knew the importance of her position, and had enough
practical vanity to make her an efficient servant and companion. She
already felt that she had got her position in life, from which she was
to go out no more for ever. She had been brought up in the shadow
of Alnwick Castle, and she knew what was due to her charge--by other
people;