No Quarter! Part 44

She had learnt all the particulars of his escape--a deed of daring to be proud of. And proud was she of it.

"Do you know, Eustace," she continued, without waiting his rejoinder, "that you spared me a journey, and perhaps some humiliation?"

"A journey! Whither?"

"To Goodrich Castle first; and it might have been anywhere after."

"But why?"

"To throw myself at Sir Henry Lingen's feet, and crave mercy for you."

"That would have been humiliation indeed, darling. And I'm glad that chance hindered you from it."

"Chance! No love: your courage did it, and--"

"My horses's heels, rather say. But for them I should not be here."

He was upon that horse's back then; she on a palfrey by his side.

"n.o.ble Saladin!" she exclaimed, drawing closer, and pa.s.sing her gloved hand caressingly over his arched neck. "Dear, good Saladin! If you but knew how grateful I am!"

Saladin did seem to know, as in soft, gentle neighing he turned his head round to acknowledge the caress.

A fair picture these betrothed lovers formed as they sate in their saddles under the greenwood tree. Some change was there in them since they had been there before. He handsome as ever, perhaps handsomer.

His cheeks embrowned with two years' campaigning, his figure braced to a terser, firmer manhood; on Saladin's back he seemed the personification of a young crusader just returned from the Holy Wars.

She lovelier than of erst, if that were possible. A woman now, her girlhood's beauty had done all Major Grenville said of it, and more.

Sager had she grown, made so by the vicissitudes and trials of the time; and it became her. Not now clapped she her hands, and echoed the falconer's "whoop!" when the hawks struck their quarry down. Instead, took it all quietly; so different from former days!

But there was another cause now sobering, almost saddening, her, one which affected both. The war was not yet at an end. At any hour, any moment, might come a summons which would again separate them, perchance never more to meet! In that tranquil sylvan scene they felt as on the deck of a storm-tossed, wreck-threatened ship, in the midst of angry ocean! Cruel war, to beget such reflections--such fears!

And, alas! they were realised almost on the instant. Following the old course, the hawking party had ascended to the summit of the hill to give the merlin its turn. The game of its pursuit, more plentiful, was easily found and flushed, so that soon the courageous creature made a kill--a landrail the quarry.

But ere it could be cast-off for a second flight, just as once before, the sport was interrupted by, their seeing a horseman on the opposite hill coming down the road from the Wilderness to Drybrook.

He might not have been noticed but for the pace, which was a rapid gallop. This down the steep declivity told of some pressing purpose, while the sun's glitter upon arms and accoutrements proclaimed him a soldier.

More definite was the knowledge got of him through a telescope, which one of the attendants carried. Glancing through it, Sir Richard recognised the uniform of a Parliamentarian dragoon--one of Ma.s.sey's own regiment. Coming that way, and at such a speed, the man must be a messenger with despatches; and for whom but himself?

Separating from his party, and taking Hilbert with him, the knight trotted off to the nearest point where the Ruardean road pa.s.sed over the shoulder of the hill, there halting till the dragoon should come up.

Nor had he long to wait. As conjectured, the man was a messenger, bearing a despatch that called for all haste in the delivery, and therefore came galloping up the slope without lessening his pace. He seemed some little disconcerted at seeing two hors.e.m.e.n drawn up on the road before him, but a word from Sir Richard rea.s.sured him, as he perceived it was the knight himself.

As the despatch was for Sir Richard, this brought his gallop to an end; and, drawing up, he handed over the doc.u.ment, simply saying--

"From Governor Ma.s.sey, Colonel."

Addressed "Colonel Walwyn," it read,--

"Gerrard has slipped through out of South Wales, by Worcester, and now _en route_ to join the King at Oxford. I've got orders from the Committee to march out and intercept him, if possible at Evesham, or before he can cross the Cotswolds. I shall want every man of my command. So draw off from the Ruardean, for Gloucester, and reinforce its garrison. Start soon as you get this--lose not a moment. Time is pressing.

"E. Ma.s.sey."

When Sir Richard returned to the hawking party his hurried manner, with the serious expression upon his features, admonished Vaga Powell that her presentiment was on the eve of being fulfilled. Sure was she of it on hearing his answer to Sabrina, who had anxiously questioned him on his coming up.

"Yes, dearest! A courier from Ma.s.sey at Gloucester. I'm commanded to proceed thither in all haste. We must home."

And home went they to Hollymead, hurriedly as once before. But not to stay there; only to leave the ladies within a few minutes in getting ready for the "route." Then back down to Ruardean to order the "a.s.sembly" sounded; soon after "Boots and saddles"; in fine, the "Forward, march!" and before the sun had sunk over the far Hatteral Hills, the sequestered village had resumed its wonted tranquillity, not a soldier to be seen in its streets, nor anywhere round it.

CHAPTER FIFTY THREE.

AGAIN PRESENTIMENTS.

"Don't you wish we were back in Gloucester, Sab?"

"Why wish that, Vag?"

"It's so lonely here."

"How you've changed, and in so short a time! While in the city you were all longings for the country and now--"

"Now I long to get back to the city."

"The prosaic city of Gloucester, too!"

"Even so. And am sorry we ever came away from it."

"You've got yourself to blame. Father was all against it, you know, and only yielded to your solicitations. As you're his favourite he couldn't refuse you."

"But you approved of it yourself, for another reason."

Sabrina had approved of it for another reason thus hinted at. After the taking of Monmouth by the Parliamentarians, Sir Richard Walwyn had orders to keep to the Hereford side of the Forest and guard the approaches in that direction. Hence his having his Horse quartered at Ruardean, and hence the desire of the sisters to be back at Hollymead House. Now that he was gone to Gloucester--so unexpectedly summoned thither--all was different, and to Vaga the country life she had so enthusiastically praised seemed no longer delightful.

"Well, Vag, we're here now, and must make the best of it. Though I confess to feeling it a little lonely myself. I wish father had taken Richard's advice."

At his hurried departure Colonel Walwyn had counselled their leaving Hollymead, and going back to reside at Gloucester, if not at once, soon as the removal could be conveniently made. The knight, without wishing unnecessarily to alarm them, had yet some apprehensions about their safety in that remote place. But they were not shared in by his intended father-in-law, who, although not absolutely rejecting the advice, still delayed following it. So secure felt he that, even on the very day when Sabrina was speaking of it, he had himself gone to Gloucester, on Committee business, and left his daughters at Hollymead alone.

Vaga echoed her sister's wish, then added,--"It may be worse than lonely. Don't you think there's some danger?"

"Oh, no! What danger?"

"Why, from the enemy--the King's people."

"There are none nearer than Bristol and Hereford."

"You forget Goodrich Castle?"

"No, I don't. But with Monmouth in the hands of our soldiers the Goodrich garrison will have enough to do taking care of itself, without troubling us."