Besides the lovers seemed to be infatuated with each other, and the
shepherd seemed to be blind to what was going on in his sheiling. To be
sure, he was out all day with his sheep, while his lass was alone in the
sheiling. Or, if by sickness _he_ was forced to stay home, then
_she_ was out all day with the sheep alone.

Gossip said that the young marquis visited the handsome shepherdess in
her sheiling, and met her by appointment, when she was out with her
flock.

And as the occasion grew, so grew the scandal, and so grew indignation
against the marquis and scorn of the shepherdess.

"He'll nae mean to marry the quean! If she were my lass, I'd kick him
out, an' he were twenty times a markis!" said the shepherd's next
neighbor, and many approved his sentiment. These were among the
detractors of the young nobleman.

But he had warm defenders--who affirmed that the Marquis of Arondelle
would never seek a peasant girl to win her affections, unless he intended
to make her his marchioness--which was an idea too preposterous to be
entertained for an instant--therefore there could be no truth in these
rumors.

And at length, when the great thunderbolt fell that destroyed Lone and
banished the ducal family, there were not wanting "guid neebors" who
taunted Rose Cameron with such words as these:

"The braw young markis hae made a fule o' ye, lass. Thoul't ne'er see him
mair. And a guid job, too. Best ye'd ne'er see him at a'!"