Chapter III

           ItwaswhenIwastenyearsoldthatWeeElspethceasedcomingtome,andthoughImissedheratfirst,itwasnotwithasenseofgrieforfinalloss.Shehadonlygonesomewhere.

           ItwasthenthatAngusMacayrebegantobemytutor.Hehadbeenaprofoundstudentandhadlivedamongbooksallhislife.HehadhelpedJeaninhertrainingofme,andIhadlearnedmorethanisusuallytaughttochildrenintheirearlyyears.WhenagrandgovernesswassenttoMuircarriebymyguardian,shewasamazedatthethingsIwasfamiliarwith,butsheabhorredthedark,frowningcastleandthelonelinessoftheplaceandwouldnotstay.Infact,nogovernesswouldstay,andsoAngusbecamemytutorandtaughtmeoldGaelicandLatinandGreek,andwereadtogetherandstudiedtheancientbooksinthelibrary.Itwasastrangeeducationforagirl,andnodoubtmadememorethaneverunlikeothers.ButmylifewasthelifeIloved.

           WhenmyguardiandecidedthatImustlivewithhiminLondonandbeeducatedasmoderngirlswere,Itriedtobeobedientandwenttohim;butbeforetwomonthshadpassedmywretchednesshadmademesoillthatthedoctorsaidIshouldgointoadeclineanddieifIwerenotsentbacktoMuircarrie.

           “It’snotonlytheLondonairthatseemstopoisonher,”hesaidwhenJeantalkedtohimaboutme;“itissomethingelse.Shewillnotlive,that’sall.SirIanmustsendherhome.”

           AsIhavesaidbefore,IhadbeenanunattractivechildandIwasaplain,uninterestingsortofgirl.Iwasshyandcouldnottalktopeople,soofcourseIboredthem.