There is nothing wrong
with Lady Dundee, Jock?"

"Ye may set yir mind at rest aboot her ladyship, Maister John. She's
stronger than I've ever seen her, and I can say no more than that, nor
have I ever marked her more active, baith by nicht and day, and in
spite o' her lord being so far awa and in sic peril, ye would never
think she had an anxious thought. It's amazin' an' ... very
encouragin' to see her ladyship sae content an' ... occupied. Ye need
have nae concern aboot her bodily condeetion, an' of course that's a
great matter."

Dundee was so relieved to hear that his wife and child were well, and
that Dudhope was safe, that he did not for the moment catch with the
dubious tone of Grimond's references to Lady Dundee, and indeed it
struck no unaccustomed note. Grimond had all the virtues of a family
retainer--utter forgetfulness of self, and absolute devotion to his
master's house, as well as a passionate, doglike affection for Dundee.
But he had the defects of his qualities. It seems the inevitable
disability of this faithfulness, that this kind of servant is jealous
of any newcomer into the family, suspicious of the stranger's ways,
over-sensitive to the family interests, and ready at any moment to
fight for the family's cause. Grimond had done his best to prevent his
master's marriage with Jean Cochrane, and had never concealed his
conviction that it was an act of madness; he had never been more than
decently civil to his mistress, and there never had been any love lost
between them. If she had been a smaller woman, Jean would have had him
dismissed from her husband's side, but being what she was herself,
proud and thoroughgoing, she respected him for his very prejudices,
and his dislike of her she counted unto him for righteousness. Jean
had made no effort to conciliate Grimond, for he was not the kind of
watchdog to be won from his allegiance by a tempting morsel. She
laughed with her husband over his watchfulness, and often said, "Ye
may trust me anywhere, John, if ye leave Grimond in charge. If I
wanted to do wrong I should not be able." "Ye would be wise, Jean,"
Graham would reply, "to keep your eye on Grimond if ye are minded to
play a prank, for his bite is as quick as his bark." They laughed
together over this jest, for they trusted each other utterly, as they
had good reason to do, but the day was at hand when that laughter was
to be bitter in the mouth.

"Ye are like a cross-grained tyke which snarls