I leave here shortly to await the arrival of Sir Colin at Otranto.
Your Honour's faithful servant, ROOKE.
JANET MACKELPIE'S NOTES.
_August_ 9, 1907.
To me it seems very providential that Rupert was not at home when that dreadful young man Ernest Melton arrived, though it is possible that if Rupert had been present he would not have dared to conduct himself so badly.

Of course, I heard all about it from the maids; Teuta never opened her lips to me on the subject.

It was bad enough and stupid enough for him to try to kiss a decent young woman like Julia, who is really as good as gold and as modest as one of our own Highland lassies; but to think of him insulting Teuta! The little beast! One would think that a champion idiot out of an Equatorial asylum would know better! If Michael, the Wine Master, wanted to kill him, I wonder what my Rupert and hers would have done?
I am truly thankful that he was not present.

And I am thankful, too, that I was not present either, for I should have made an exhibition of myself, and Rupert would not have liked that.

He--the little beast! might have seen from the very dress that the dear girl wore that there was something exceptional about her.