I will send one of my serving-men for him, and the mutual
deeds may be executed in your lordship's presence; for, as things
stand, there should be no delay." His lordship readily assented; and,
as they now landed upon the private stairs leading down to the river
from the gardens of the handsome hotel which he inhabited, the
messenger was dispatched without loss of time.
Nigel, who had sat almost stupefied while these zealous friends
volunteered for him in arranging the measures by which his fortune was
to be disembarrassed, now made another eager attempt to force upon
them his broken expressions of thanks and gratitude. But he was again
silenced by Lord Huntinglen, who declared he would not hear a word on
that topic, and proposed instead, that they should take a turn in the
pleached alley, or sit upon the stone bench which overlooked the
Thames, until his son's arrival should give the signal for dinner.
"I desire to introduce Dalgarno and Lord Glenvarloch to each other,"
he said, "as two who will be near neighbours, and I trust will be more
kind ones than their fathers were formerly. There is but three Scots
miles betwixt the castles, and the turrets of the one are visible from
the battlements of the other."
The old earl was silent for a moment, and appeared to muse upon the
recollections which the vicinity of the castles had summoned up.
"Does Lord Dalgarno follow the Court to Newmarket next week?" said
Heriot, by way of removing the conversation.
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