Castle Gay - MVK World

me on my aith no to let him leave the place for thirty 'oors… . So you see
I'm turned jyler." Mrs Catterick again shook with silent merriment.
"Have you got him indoors now?"
"He's ben the hoose in the best room. I kinnled a fire for him, for he's a
cauldrife body. What's he like? Oh, a fosy wee man wi' a bald heid and
terrible braw claithes. Ye wad say he was ower auld to be a student, but
Erchie says it takes a lang time to get through as a doctor. Linklater, they
ca' him."
"Has he given you any trouble?" Dougal asked anxiously. He seemed
to long to assist in the task of gaoler.
"No him. My man's awa wi' the crocks to Gledmouth, and, as ye ken,
we hae nae weans, but I could manage twa o' him my lane. But he never
offered to resist. Just ate his supper as if he was in his ain hoose, and
spak nae word except to say that he likit my scones. I lent him yin o'
John's sarks for a nicht-gown and this mornin' he shaved himsel' wi'
John's razor. He's a quiet, saft-spoken wee body, but there's nae crack in
him. He speaks wi' a kind o' English tongue and he ca's me Madam. I
doot that deil Erchie maun be in the wrang o' it, but kin's kin and I maun
tak the wyte o' his cantrips."
Again Jaikie became apologetic and proposed withdrawal, and again
his proposal was rejected.
"Ye can bide here fine," said Mrs Catterick, "now that ye ken the truth.
I couldna tell it ye at the door-cheek, for ye were just forenent his
windy… . Ye'll hae your meat wi' me in the kitchen, and ye can hae the
twa beds in the loft… . Ye'd better no gang near Linklater, for he maybe
wadna like folk to ken o' this performance—nor Erchie neither. He has
never stirred frae his room this day, and he's spak no word except to
speir what place he was in and how far it was frae Glen Callowa… .
Now I think o't, that was a queer thing to speir, for Erchie said he brocht
him frae Kirkmichael… . Oh, and he was wantin' to send a telegram, but
I tell't him there was nae office within saxteen miles and the post wadna
be up the water till the morn… . I'm just wonderin' how he'll get off the
morn, for he hasna the buits for walkin'. Ye never saw sic snod, wee,
pappymashy things on a man's feet. But there's twa bicycles, yin o' John's
and yin that belongs to the young herd at the west hirsel. Wi' yin o' them
he'll maybe manage down the road… . But there's nae sense in crossin'
brigs till ye come to them. I've been thrang wi' the kirnin', but the butter's
come, and the kettle's on the boil. Your tea will be ready as sune as ye've
gotten your faces washed."
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