Final answer:
dic-kie returns home alone, worried about facing his father's inquiries, reflecting his privileged yet accountable position within a society that condones slavery.
Step-by-step explanation:
At the end of the story, dic-kie returns home alone and is concerned about facing his father, knowing that he will have to answer for his actions, particularly why he returned without Grandison. Despite his light-hearted and indolent nature, dic-kie dreads the confrontation, yet feels compelled to return home, driven by his feelings for Charity Lomax. This reveals that even though dic-kie can get away with a lot due to his privileged position, he is not entirely free of consequences or his father's expectations.
The ending also suggests a criticism of the government of the time, which condones a system where someone like dic-kie can conceive a plan for someone else's freedom but be annoyed when that plan does not pan out as expected. The government, by implication, is one that perpetuates and supports the institution of slavery, and in a broader sense, a class system that upholds the status quo.