Meg came, her eyes full of interrogation.

'Dinna gie Lumley a drap. Set him up to insult a young gentleman at
my door-cheek! He s' no hae a drap here the nicht. He 's had ower
muckle, Meg, already, an' ye oucht to hae seen that.'

''Deed, mem, he 's had mair than ower muckle, than; for there's
anither gill ower the thrapple o' 'm. I div my best, mem, but,
never tastin' mysel', I canna aye tell hoo muckle 's i' the wame o'
a' body 'at comes in.'

'Ye're no fit for the place, Meg; that's a fac'.'

At this charge Meg took no offence, for she had been in the place
for twenty years. And both mistress and maid laughed the moment
they parted company.

'Wha's this 'at's come the nicht, Miss Naper, 'at they're sae ta'en
wi'?' asked Robert.

'Atweel, I dinna ken yet. She's ower bonnie by a' accoonts to be
gaein' about her lane (alone). It's a mercy the baron's no at hame.
I wad hae to lock her up wi' the forks and spunes.'

'What for that?' asked Robert.

But Miss Napier vouchsafed no further explanation. She stuffed his
pockets with sweet biscuits instead, dismissed him in haste, and
rang the bell.