Bucklaw, who had in the mean time paced the room to and fro,
until he had recovered his composure, now stopped within two or three
yards of her chair, and broke out as follows: "I believe I have been a
d--d fool, Miss Ashton; I have tried to speak to you as people tell me
young ladies like to be talked to, and I don't think you comprehend
what I have been saying; and no wonder, for d--n me if I understand it
myself! But, however, once for all, and in broad Scotch, your father and
mother like what is proposed, and if you can take a plain young fellow
for your husband, who will never cross you in anything you have a mind
to, I will place you at the head of the best establishment in the three
Lothians; you shall have Lady Girnington's lodging in the Canongate of
Edinburgh, go where you please, do what you please, and see what you
please--and that's fair. Only I must have a corner at the board-end for
a worthless old playfellow of mine, whose company I would rather want
than have, if it were not that the d--d fellow has persuaded me that I
can't do without him; and so I hope you won't except against Craigie,
although it might be easy to find much better company.
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