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Chapter VIII
HeKNOWSthatweourselvesaretheworkingoftheLaw—andthatweourselvescouldworkwhatnowarestupidlycalled“miracles”ifwecouldonlyrememberalwayswhattheLawis.
WhatIintendedtosayatfirstwasmerelythatitwasnotbychancethatIclimbedtotheshelfinthelibrarythatafternoonandpushedasidethebookshidingtheoldmanuscriptwhichtoldtherealstoryofDarkMalcolmoftheGlenandWeeBrownElspeth.Itseemedlikechancewhenithappened,butitwasreallythefirststeptowardmyfindingoutthestrange,beautifulthingIknewsoonafterward.
FromthebeginningofmyfriendshipwiththeMacNairnsIhadhopedtheywouldcomeandstaywithmeatMuircarrie.WhentheybothseemedtofeelsuchinterestinallItoldthemofit,andnottominditswildremoteness,Itookcourageandaskedthemiftheywouldcometome.Mostpeopleareboredbytheprospectoflifeinafeudalcastle,howsoeverpicturesquelyitissetinaplacewheretherearenoneighborstocounton.Itsancientstatelinessistoodull.ButtheMacNairnsweremorealluredbywhatMuircarrieofferedthantheywerebyotherandmorebrilliantinvitations.SowhenIwentbacktothecastleIwasonlytobealoneaweekbeforetheyfollowedme.
JeanandAnguswerequitehappyintheirquietwaywhenItoldthemwhoIwasexpecting.TheyknewhowgladIwasmyself.JeanwasfullofsilentpleasureasshearrangedtheroomsIhadchosenformyguests,roomswhichhadthemostsweepingviewofthemoor.AngusknewthatMr.
