"Since you are all so insistent, I will. How did you come here?"
O'Hara went round to the back of the couch to arrange a cushion beneath the hurt shoulder, and leaned his arms upon the back, looking down with a laugh in his eyes.
"Faith, I rode!"
"But how did you know? Where-"
"'Twas all on account of that young rascal David," he said. "Molly fretted and fumed all the way to the Frasers, vowing the child would be neglected, and what not, and we'd not been in the house above an hour or so, when up she jumps and says she knows that something has happened at home, and nothing will suffice but that I must drive her back. We arrived just as Beauleigh was setting out. He told us the whole tale, and of course I had Blue Peter saddled in the twinkling of an eye and was off after ye. But, what with taking wrong turns and me horse not happening to be made of lightning, I couldn't arrive until now."
"You cannot have been so long after me," said Jack. "For I wasted full half-an-hour outside here, trying to find an opening in the hedge for Jenny to get through. She is now stalled in a shed at the bottom of the lawn with my cloak over her. I'll swear she's thirsty, too."
"I'll see to that," promised O'Hara.
Andrew came across the room and bowed awkwardly to my lord, stammering a little. Carstares held out his hand.
"Lord, Andy! I scarce knew you!"
After a moment's hesitation, Andrew took the outstretched hand and answered, laughingly. But my lord had not failed to notice the hesitation, short though it had been.
"I-beg your pardon. I had forgot," he said stiffly.
Andrew sat down beside him, rather red about the ears.
"Oh, stuff, Jack! I'm a clumsy fool, but I did not mean that!"
Richard stepped forward into the full light of the candles.
"If you will all listen to me one moment, I shall be greatly obliged," he said steadily.
Lord John started forward.
"Dick!" he cried, warningly, and would have gone to him, but for O'Hara's hand on his shoulder, dragging him back.
"Ah, now, be aisy," growled Miles. "Let the man say it!"
"Hold your tongue, O'Hara! Dick, wait one moment! I want to speak to you!"
Richard never glanced at him.
"I am about to tell you something that should have been told-seven years ago-"
"Once and for all, I forbid it!" snapped my lord, trying to disengage himself from O'Hara's grip.
Miles leant over him.
"See here, me boy, if ye don't keep a still tongue in your head, its meself that'll be gagging you, and that's that!"