and
took her to his new house, Castle Huntley, Longforgan, near Dundee. Wishing
now above all things to found a family, he was much annoyed that Divine
Providence, (rightly as we may believe) withheld from him the blessing
of children. Soon Mr Armitstead began to neglect his saintly wife, of whom
he was unworthy, and even so far forgot himself as to conceive a guilty
passion for the daughter of the MacPherson of Cluny (15th chieftain of
that clan). This laird soon becoming aware of his daughter's clandestine
meetings, turned her out of doors. She was brought by Mr Armitstead to
Castle Huntley, upon which his wife, who met then on the threshold, said:
"Either that woman leaves this house or I do." Her husband replied (holding
the fainting Miss MacPherson) "You do".

Thereupon Mrs Armitstead walked in a thinnightdress and slippers in
a heavy snowstorm to the lodge, half a mile down the drive, and there craved
from the good head gardener and his wife a shelter for the night. The next
day she sought shelter at her father's house. These facts soon became known.
All the servants gave notice, but on being offered double wages agreed
to stay on. Dundee was now apprised of all that had happened, and Lord
Kinnaird, the most prominent landowner thereabouts, cut Mr Armitstead before
all the members of his club, and he was flouted by all. It was the death
of the MacPherson that his daughter had become a public disgrace, but Providence
so arranged in that the erring female died within three years.

Mr Armitstead (in order to forget his grief at this catastrophe) bought
a yacht at Oban,