Ronald had stuck to his guns and
refused me to the last. It was no news; but, on the other hand, it
could not be contorted into good news. I was now certain that
during my temporary absence in France, all irons would be put into
the fire, and the world turned upside down, to make Flora disown
the obtrusive Frenchman and accept Chevenix. Without doubt she
would resist these instances: but the thought of them did not
please me, and I felt she should be warned and prepared for the
battle.
It was no use to try and see her now, but I promised myself early
that evening to return to Swanston. In the meantime I had to make
all my preparations, and look the coming journey in the face. Here
in Edinburgh I was within four miles of the sea, yet the business
of approaching random fishermen with my hat in the one hand and a
knife in the other, appeared so desperate, that I saw nothing for
it but to retrace my steps over the northern counties, and knock a
second time at the doors of Birchell Fenn. To do this, money would
be necessary; and after leaving my paper in the hands of Flora I
had still a balance of about fifteen hundred pounds. Or rather I
may say I had them and I had them not; for after my luncheon with
Mr. Robbie I had placed the amount, all but thirty pounds of
change, in a bank in George Street, on a deposit receipt in the
name of Mr.
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