The doctor, to
his credit, rose to protect her, but she braved it out. She would, she
averred, lend the thingamyjig a better petticoat than the one he'd got on.
"If he mun wear 'em," she added, "he mought wear 'em long enough to be
dacent." The doctor bustled her out at last, palpitating but triumphant.
Maclachlan had sprung up like a wild cat when the missile hit him.
Luckily he was flustered by the bouncing of the loaf on the table and off
again clean into Margaret's lap, or the ready trigger would surely have
been drawn in earnest. Then Margaret promptly took the edge off his anger
by saying with menacing sweetness, "I'm sorry the fun has gone further
than was desirable, but I will not have the girl blamed for what was in
her a brave deed, nor suffer any unpleasantness here on account of it.
Pray be seated."
This ended the matter, and Maclachlan, with a wry smile, settled down
again to his fish.
"It was a verra guid thing after a' said," he explained, "that it wasna
my mouth, for it was an unco' ding. I'm half hungry yet, and, to be sure,
breakfast and broillerie gang ill together.
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