The Span o' Life Part 5

"I should think not!" snorted Lady Jane, fairly beside herself.

"Quite right, madam, quite right. You are a woman, of perspicacity,"

answered his lordship, without a ruffle. Then he turned to me again:

"And pray what did bring you here, sir?"

"Your Grace, it was at my earnest recommendation these ladies were moved to appear in person to lay their case before the most powerful n.o.bleman in the Three Kingdoms. They come here, your Grace, not to plead, but to explain. Their explanation is now made, and they are satisfied it is in the hands of one who is ever ready to listen to the suit of innocence, whose whole life is a guarantee for the exercise of justice, and whose finger need but be lifted to relieve the unfortunate from unmerited disgrace."

To my surprise, he did not seem so taken with my effort as I had hoped. Even as I was speaking he had thrown himself back in his chair, and sate resting his elbows on the arms, staring at me over his finger-tips in the most disconcerting fashion without moving a muscle of his face. I was positively afraid to venture a word more under the spell of that equivocal gaze.

"Yes, yes, yes," he broke out, suddenly, drawing himself close up to his desk and seizing a pen, with which he began making slow notes on the paper before him.

"What did you say the young man's name was?" he muttered. "Oh, yes, Nairn--Archibald Nairn. Yes. Fort William--eh? French officer in active service. And you can give me your word he was not in arms-- eh?"

"I can, your Grace, without hesitation."

The moment I had spoken I saw my mistake. So did his Grace, who wheeled round on me like a flash.

"Then, sir, I take it you are in a position to know!"

My blood fairly ran cold, for I saw only too clearly his folly of manner was but a cloak, and that now it was quite as much a question of myself as of Nairn.

"I am, your Grace," I answered, in my most a.s.sured tones.

"Perhaps you are able to produce a muster-roll of the rebel forces--eh, Captain Fitzgerald? That would be highly satisfactory in more ways than one."

"Surely, your Grace, this is no laughing matter. Your Grace has my word of honour that Captain Nairn was not in Scotland until after Culloden was fought--"

"--And lost--Captain Fitzgerald? Surely that is not the way for a loyal subject to put it."

"I cannot cross swords with your Grace," I returned, with a low bow to cover my trepidation; "even if our positions did not make it an impossibility, it would be too unequal a contest."

The flattery was gross, and only my apprehensions could excuse its clumsiness, but to my intense relief it availed, and he turned to his desk again, while I held my breath expectant of his next attack.

But none came. He muttered and mumbled to himself, while we stood stock-still, scarce venturing to look at each other, for the fate of Nairn was hanging in the balance, and a straw might turn it either way. At length he picked up his pen and wrote rapidly for a few moments; then carefully sanding the paper he read it over slowly, still muttering and shaking his head; but at last, turning to Margaret, who all this time had remained on her knees, he handed it to her, saying:

"There, miss; take it, take it. Get married; get your brother married; but for Heaven's sake don't bring up any little rebels!

And Captain Fitzgerald," he added, meaningly, "don't imagine I can't see as far as other men! No thanks! No! I hate thanks, and tears--and--and--Good-morning, ladies, good-morning!" whereupon he rose and shuffled over in front of the fire, where he stood rubbing his hands, leaving us to bow ourselves out to a full view of his back, which, upon my soul, was a fairer landscape than his face--but with Margaret holding fast the order for her brother's release.

CHAPTER VI

HOW I TAKE TO THE ROAD AGAIN, AND OF THE COMPANY I FALL IN WITH

I fully expected an outburst from Lady Jane the moment we were in the coach, but all she said was:

"Such a man! I have known women silly and vain; I have known women cruel and brainless; but such a combination of the qualities I never expected to meet in man; it makes me blush for the vices of my s.e.x!"

"Do not scold him, dear, do not scold him!" cried Margaret, joyously.

"My heart is too full of thankfulness to hear a word against him."

"My dear Mistress--Margaret," said I, "I would not for the world dash your joy, but there is still much to do, for I doubt if even the King could give a pardon off-hand in this fashion. Remember, England is not France."

"Oh, do not say it is useless!" she cried, in sudden alarm.

"Not useless, certainly. I doubt, however, if the presentation of that sc.r.a.p of paper before the gates of Fort William would reward you with anything more than the most bitter of disappointments and a broken heart. It was an easy way enough for his Grace to rid himself of our importunities, but we'll make it more effective than he guesses. Now is the time for the Vicomte to play his part. He is in a position where, with many anxious to do him favours, he can readily place this in the proper channel where it will go through the necessary hands, of which we know nothing, and could not reach if we did; he can so place it without reflection on his position, without suspicion of his motive, and I'm certain you can count upon his best efforts in your service."

"Come, come, Hughie!" broke in Lady Jane; "you needn't be trying to take credit to yourself for what Gaston is only too ready to do. That your flattering and ready tongue stood us in good stead with this silly noddy I'll not dispute, but I can readily see as clearly as he says he can; and though your suggestion is good, it should end there. Let Gaston make his offers himself."

So I laughed, and at once abandoned that line of approach. Lady Jane might not always have control of her temper, but she knew every move a man might make, even before he realised it himself, as in the present instance; possibly this was the reason she was so tolerant of my s.e.x.

However, I had but little time for such reflections. The more I thought over the end of our interview with the Duke the less I liked it, and on comparing impressions with Lady Jane on our arrival at Ess.e.x Street, she quite agreed that I was in a ticklish position.

London was then infested with spies, most of whom had a keen scent for what the failure of our late enterprise had now fixed as treason, and despite my precaution in keeping out of questionable resorts and company, I knew that in my case 'twas little more difficult to smoke the Jacobite, than the gentleman, in whatever disguise I might a.s.sume.

"Hughie, I'm not one for silly alarms," said Lady Jane, "but I mistrust that doddering old pantaloon, and 'you must build a high wall to keep out fear.' You've done all you can here, and I doubt but you've got yourself in a rare coil in the doing of it. Now to undo it as best we may."

"I'll not deny that things look 'unchancy,' as we say in the North, Cousin Jane; but, for the life of me, I don't see how they are to be bettered by anything I can do now."

"My heart! But men are slow to see ahead! We will be away out of this the moment we are a.s.sured of this young callant's safety, in a week or so at most, I hope. I will take ship from Harwich, and you shall journey with us as my servant, my courier."

"Do you think that is absolutely necessary, cousin?"

"Hughie, Hughie, how long will you continue to walk with Vanity?"

"Just so long as I must lie down with Adversity, cousin. Cannot you understand it is humiliating for a man of my condition to go masquerading about the country as a lackey?"

"Not so readily as I can understand the awkwardness of being laid by the heels, Master Hughie. Now don't have any more nonsense! Do you start off this very night for Huntingdon, and lie at the Bell Inn there, until you hear from me. It will not be for more than a week. Let me see, yes, 'Simpkin' will be a good name for you."

"Do I look like Simpkin?" I returned, indignantly.

"My certes, no! You look more like the Grand Turk at the moment,"

she answered, laughing. "But you must conceal your rank, my lord, by your modesty and 'Mr. Simpkin,' until I can offer it a more effective covering in a suit of bottle-green livery."

"I trust your ladyship will not require any reference as to character?"

"It is written on your face, sir. There! I will countersign it for you," whereat she put her two hands on my cheeks and kissed me.

"'Pon my soul, Cousin Jane, I don't wonder the men raved over you!"

I said, in admiration.

"No, poor things, it doesn't take much to set them off at the best of times. But do not begin your flatteries, Hughie; even age is no warrant for common-sense when it meets with old gratifications. Be off, now, and get back here for supper, ready for your travels."

I hurried off to my old lodgings, and soon made such preparation for my journey as was necessary.

When I parted from Mistress Routh I said: "I have learned during the time spent under your roof how irrevocable your resolve is, and have accepted it as absolutely as yourself, but now that I am going away from England, which I shall probably never set foot in again, and it is still more probable that we may never meet, I have one promise to exact which you cannot refuse. It is presumable my way in life will be in some degree successful, and that my son may some day need such aid as I may be able to give him; he is yours while you live, but promise me when your time comes you will tell him who his father is. Because you have chosen a different way of life from mine, do not be tempted to allow the boy to go to strangers when you know he has a heart waiting to love and cherish him. I have never done a dishonourable action in my life, so far as I can judge, and, if only for his sake, I will always try and keep my conscience free to make the same affirmation. A message to Mr.

Drummond, the banker, in Charing Cross, will always find me. Can you refuse?"