The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

Scenes of Long Ago. 359
The marriage having been duly celebrated, the young
couple took up their residence with the bride's father and
mother until something should turn up. What did happen;
who could have anticipated ? The very next Sunday who
should be proclaimed but Macbride of Drumblankit, as
having a purpose of marriage with Miss Lucy Bisset of
Castle Skillet, in the parish of Kilchrist. To be sure, no
one could have anticipated this, far less the event which
happened within a year of that time, when the mistress of
Drumblankit was brought to bed with a son and heir.
Most people laughed, and James among them as heartily as
any. He had by this time been established as tacksman of
Dell, and was entirely satisfied with his lot. His wife was
thoroughly versed in the management of a pastoral farm,
and her dairy was famed among the mistresses of Keilangus.
Their family consisted of an only daughter, who had been
christened Euphemia, a name which frequently occurred in
the genealogical tree of Drumblankit. In after years
Femie used to declare that this was the only heirloom of her
ancestral descent.
This, then, was the companion who now rode across
the moor with Mark Teviot.
" Did you observe," said he, after a long pause, " how
very attentive the Bailie has become to my uncle of Drumblankit.
I heard several remarking upon it to-day, and
hinting that the illness of Duncairn has something to do
with this friendship. Have you secured the new tack of
Glenbeltane yet ?"
" No," replied Teviot " but I am negotiating for it with
his Lordship's Edinburgh agents."
" Take my advice, good friend," returned the tacksman
of Dell, " and hasten to have it signed, lest that might
happen to throw the business into the hands of Bailie
Drummond, who wants to have the place himself You
know that he expected it when his Lordship chose to give
it to you."