Life of Flora Macdonald and her adventures with Prince Charles

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a mother than a distant relative She was seldom left at
home with her brother at Milton, but paid long visits to her
friends in the district, and these visits were welcomed by all.
When she was about thirteen years of age, Lady Clan-
ranald insisted on her remaining continuously at Ormiclade,
that she might get the benefit of instruction from a governess
who had been provided by Clanranald for his own children.
Such was the kindness of the family at Ormiclade, that she
could not express her gratitude. For about three years
her home was in the hospitable mansion of Clanranald, with
the exception of occasional short trips to Skye, to visit her
mother at Armadale. She by far excelled in her lessons the
daughters of the family, and although Clanranald and his
lady had too much sense not to appreciate her expeitness
and aptitude for the acquisition of useful instruction, yet
their daughters in some degree became jealous of poor
Flora, and hinted that the governess was more attentive to
her than to them. There was every appearance that, in
their hearts, the youngsters at Ormiclade cherished a certain
degree of envy towards the unoffending protege.
Flora was by far too clear-sighted not to see all this, and
too prudent not to be able to effect a remedy. She endured
everything patiently for about half-a-year, as in reality the
youngsters only had taken private offence at her success,
while the parents very probably had never thought or heard
any thing about it. She had given intimation in her own
pleasing and grateful way to Lady Clanranald, that by such
a time, she would require to visit her mother, and spend
some time with her, as she, again and again, heard herself
charged with being an unnatural daughter, and very unduti-
ful for having deserted her only parent, and lost all sense of
her filial duties. " Eh ! me, Flora dear," said Lady Clan-
ranald, " what will became of ' Ceoiag,' if you go off and