She looks like her grandmother -- Margaret 's mother , Master . Her name was Kilmeny too , and she was a handsome , sweet woman . I was very fond of my stepmother , Master . When she died she gave her baby to me , and asked me to be a mother to it . Ah well , I tried ; but I could n't fence the sorrow out of Margaret 's life , and it sometimes comes to my mind that maybe I 'll not be able to fence it out of Kilmeny 's either . '' `` That will be my task , '' said Eric . `` You 'll do your best , I do not doubt . But maybe it will be through you that sorrow will come to her after all . '' `` Not through any fault of mine , Aunt Janet . '' `` No , no , I 'm not saying it will be your fault . But my heart misgives me at times . Oh , I dare say I am only a foolish old woman , Master . Go your ways and bring your lass here to look at your plaything when you like . I 'll not make or meddle with it . '' Janet betook herself to the kitchen and Eric went to look for Kilmeny . She was not in the orchard and it was not until he had searched for some time that he found her . She was standing under a beech tree in a field beyond the orchard , leaning on the longer fence , with her hands clasped against her cheek . In them she held a white Mary-lily from the orchard . She did not run to meet him while he was crossing the pasture , as she would once have done . She waited motionless until he was close to her .
Eric began , half laughingly , half tenderly , to quote some lines XXXXX her namesake ballad : '' ` Kilmeny , Kilmeny , where have you been ?
In against beyond for from like of on that through