He is in very comfortable circumstances now."
"Tell us about it, Aunt Olivia," said Peggy. She did not look at me,
which was my salvation. Had I caught Peggy's eye when Aunt Olivia said
"Mr. Malcolm MacPherson" in that tone I must have laughed, willy-nilly.
"When I was a girl the MacPhersons used to live across the road
from here. Mr. Malcolm MacPherson was my beau then. But my family--
and your father especially--dear me, I do hope he won't be very cross--
were opposed to his attentions and were very cool to him.
I think that was why he never said anything to me about getting
married then. And after a time he went away, as I have said,
and I never heard anything from him directly for many a year.
Of course, his sister sometimes gave me news of him.
But last June I had a letter from him. He said he was coming
home to settle down for good on the old Island, and he asked
me if I would marry him. I wrote back and said I would.
Perhaps I ought to have consulted your father, but I was afraid
he would think I ought to refuse Mr. Malcolm MacPherson."
"Oh, I don't think father will mind," said Peggy reassuringly.
"I hope not, because, of course, I would consider it my duty in any case
to fulfil the promise I have given to Mr.
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