Marjorie Bowen

“ He thought of Francis more than he thought of Jeannie. His enthusiasm being quite dead, the behaviour of his friend seemed of an incredible baseness; he had deliberately taken advantage of his falsely established innocence to win a woman who would have scorned him with bitter loathing had she known the truth.
And then there was the brother. He might well be called the murderer of young Duncan and of Morton, too—an ugly thing to be between husband and wife. What kind of man was the fellow to live with that on his conscience? ”

“ His heart ached with longing for those lost days and for one friend in particular, whom he had neither seen nor heard from during the whole time of his exile; and for another, a woman this, dear Jeannie Duncan.
He found that he disliked Edinburgh as much as he had disliked the Hague and Rotterdam; the familiar buildings, the well-known streets, gave him no welcome. They seemed full of an alien atmosphere, full of a bustle and a turmoil that belonged to business not his. He was no longer part of great causes nor connected with high politics; he had served his turn ”

“ Of course, Margaret Sinclair, small-souled, practical, would have disbelieved the man, and, of course, Jeannie, lofty, devoted, loyal, and romantic, would champion him, even to the gift of herself, pitying him until her compassion blossomed into love. For he had no doubt at all that now she loved Francis. ”

“ James had affected not to hear.
Again had come the beloved voice: "Will you still fight for me?"
And still Mr. Hepburn had not answered. When all had gathered again in the shelter of the barn, he had acted instantly. "Mr. Morton called Frank the traitor. You know he always hated Frank. I'll silence him now!" And his sword was out, and the two were at it in red earnest.
In such a little while Morton was silenced indeed, and the thing seemed over. Now he knew that it had only just begun—at least, for him, for Jeannie, and for Francis. ”

“ For the young man so swiftly silenced by Mr. Hepburn had declared the beautiful and beloved Francis to be in the pay of the King's men, and to have betrayed to them that Whigs were in hiding in Colonel Duncan's house.
Someone had played the traitor, for the house had been surrounded, and in the ensuing fray Jeannie's brother had been killed. Several other gentlemen had been captured and afterwards duly executed in Edinburgh. ”

“ He turned from her look of love. When he was out in the street, he shook himself as a man would do who is recovering from a physical blow, and very slowly he went down the chill, darkening street towards his cheerless lodging. ”

“ She tried to smile. "Because I am married to Frank?"
"Because of my own foolishness, I suppose." He looked again at the brilliant portrait, and then at the little porridge bowl.
She made no attempt to detain him now when he prepared to leave. "You will come back?" she asked.
"Certainly I will come back; I am but a short time in Edinburgh."
"Yet come again and see him—Francis."
He read a challenge in her clear, dark eyes. "Certainly I must see Francis," he replied smoothly, "your husband, Jeannie." ”

“ Most frequently he visioned her as in one terrible scene he had beheld her. The place was a barn at night; she, in a blue lutestring, with a lace scarf over her head, was holding high a candle to light two duellists—himself and an Englishman who had slandered their dear comrade, Francis Mowbray. The Englishman had been slain.
Jeannie Duncan had shown neither grief nor remorse. "He is dead, and his lie with him," she had said.
Francis had kissed her hand as she rose from beside the dead man. Francis had afterwards kissed him ”