"I do believe it's Reginald Trevor."
Sabrina said this in rejoinder, now certain it was not the man she had
climbed that hill in hopes of meeting.
"I'm sure of it," affirmed Vaga, in confident tone as before. "If I
couldn't tell him, I can the horse--the light grey he always rides. And
that's his dress--the colour at least. I don't think he has many
changes, exquisite as he is, or we'd have seen some of them at
Hollymead."
She made this remark with a smile of peculiar significance.
"Oh! yes; 'tis he," assented the sister, her eyes still upon him. "I'm
sure now, myself. The horse--yes, the dress too. And, see! a red plume
in his hat--that's enough. I wonder where he's bound for--surely not
Hollymead!"
It was then the grave look already alluded to showed itself in her eyes.
"Perhaps you can tell, sister?" she added, interrogatively.
"Sabrina! why do you say that? How should I be acquainted with Mr
Trevor's movements or intentions--any more than yourself?"
"Ha--ha! What an artful little minx you are, Vag! A very mistress of
deception!"
"You'll make me angry, Sab--I'm half that already."
"Without cause, then, or reason."
"Every reason."
"Name one."
"That you should suspect me of having a secret and keeping it from you."
"Goodness gracious! How just you are in your reproaches--you, who but
this very moment have been accusing me of that selfsame thing! I, all
candour, all frankness!"
Vaga was now flung back, as a sailor would say, on her "beam ends."
For, in truth, she had made herself amenable to the charge.
"Oh! you innocent!" cried Sabrina, pressing her triumph. "Though you
are three years younger than I, you're quite as old about some things,
and this is _one_ of them."
"This what?"
"This that; the thing, or man, if he may be so called, we see riding
down yonder road."
"You wrong me, sister; I've no secret concerning him. I never cared for
Rej Trevor in the way you appear to be hinting at--not three straws."
"Are you serious in what you say, Vag? Tell me the truth!"
There was an earnestness in the way the question was put--tone, air,
everything--that bespoke more than a common interest about the answer.
It came, causing disappointment, with some slight vexation. For Vaga,
thinking she had been badgered long enough, and, remembering, moreover,
how very reticent the other had just shown herself, determined on having
a _revanche_. It was altogether in consonance with her nature; though
she had no idea of advantage beyond that of mere fun.
"Curiosity on the rack!" she triumphantly retorted. "What you've just
been dooming me to! How does it feel, sister Sab!"
"Sister Sab" made no response; in turn being fairly conquered and
cornered. But her silence and submissive look were more eloquent than
any appeal she could have made. And, responding to them, her conqueror
relentingly asked:
"Are you very, _very_ desirous of knowing how the case stands between
myself and Master Reginald Trevor?"
"I am, indeed. And when you've told me, I'll give you the reason."
"On that condition I'll tell you. He is nothing to me more than any
other man. And when I add that no other man is anything either, you'll
understand me."
"But, sister dear, do you mean to say you _love_ no one?"
"I mean to say that--flat."
"And never have?"
"That's a queer question to be asked; above all by you, you who so often
preach the virtue of constancy, crying it into my ears! If I ever had
loved man, I think I should love him still. But as it chances, I don't
quite comprehend what the sensation is; never having experienced it.
And more, I don't wish to; that is, if it were to affect me as it seems
to do you."
"What do you mean, Vaga?" asked the more sage sister, bristling up at
the innuendo. "Love affect me! You're only fancying! Nothing of the
sort, I assure you."
"Oh! yes; much of the sort; though you might not yourself perceive it.
Everybody else does, at least I do--have for a very long time--ever
since he went off to the wars."
"What he?"
"Again counterfeiting. And vainly. Well, I won't gratify you by giving
his name this time. Enough to say that ever since you last saw him you
haven't been like you used to be. Why, Sab, I can remember when you
were as full of frolic as myself, or Hector here. Yet, for the last two
years you've been as melancholy as a love-sick monkey. True, there's
been a little brightening up in you of late--no doubt due to that
letter. Ha--ha--ha!"
Sabrina laughed too, despite the unmerciful way she was being bantered.
The allusion to "that letter" was not unpleasant. Its contents, very
gratifying, had restored her heart's gladness and confidence. Not that
she had ever doubted her lover's fealty, but only had fears for his
life. She said nothing, however, leaving the other to rattle on.
"And now, Miss Prim-and-Prudery, I want your reason for prying into my
secrets, after being so chary of your own; I demand it."
"Dear Vaga! you shall have it and welcome. After what you say, there
need be no shyness in my telling you now. I was anxious about you on
father's account, and my own, too, as your sister."
"Anxious about me! For what?"
"Your relations with yonder individual."
She nodded towards the horseman with the red feather in his hat.
"Very good of father and you to be so concerned about me; but don't you
think I can take care of myself? I'm getting old enough to do that."
She was only a little over seventeen, but believed herself quite as much
a woman as Sabrina, who was three years her senior. She had the proud,
independent spirit of one, and brooked no control by her older sister;
on the contrary, rather exercised it herself. She was her father's
favourite; a circumstance that would appear strange to those acquainted
with his character. Hence, in part, her assumption of superiority.
"Of course you can," returned Sabrina, assentingly. "And I'm glad of
it."
"I suppose, then, it's owing to your and father's united solicitude on
my behalf that Master Rej Trevor hasn't shown his face at Hollymead for
the last couple of weeks."
"I've had nothing to do with it, Vaga."
"Which seems to say that somebody has, then. I suspected as much, by
your having said nothing about it. As you seem to know something, Sab,
you may as well tell it me."
"I will--all I know. Which is, that father has forbidden his visits to
Hollymead. I only learnt it from our maid Gwenthian. It appears, that
the last time Mr Trevor was at the house, she overheard a conversation
between father and him; father telling him as much as that he would be
no more welcome there."
"And what answer did the fine gentleman make? I suppose the
eavesdropping Gwenthian heard that, too."
There was such evident absence of all emotion on the part of her who
interrogated, she could not well be making believe. The other, seeing
she was not, responded with confidence,--
"Nothing, or nothing much, except in mutterings, which the girl failed
to catch the meaning of. But the nature may be imagined from the way he
went off--all scowling and angry, she says."
"Gwenthian has never mentioned the circumstance to me; which I take it
is a little strange on her part."
She thought it so, for of the two she was more a favourite with the
waiting maid than her sister, and knew it. Between her and Gwenthian--a
Forest girl of quick wit and subtle intelligence--many confidences had
been exchanged. Therefore her wonder at this having been withheld.
"Not at all," rejoined Sabrina, entering upon a defence of Gwenthian's
reticence. "There was nothing strange in her keeping it from you. She
supposed it might vex you--told me so."
"Ha--ha--ha! How thoughtful of her! But it don't vex me--luckily, no--
not the least bit; and Gwenthian should have known that, as you know
now, Sab. Don't you?"
"I do," answered Sabrina, in full conviction. For Vaga's laugh was so
utterly devoid of all regret at what had been revealed to her, no one
could suppose or suspect there was within her breast a thought of
Reginald Trevor, beyond looking on him in the light of a mere
acquaintance. To prove this it needed neither her rejoinder, nor the
emphasis she gave it, saying,--
"_I don't care that for him_!" the _that_ being a snap of her fingers.
"I wish father had but known you didn't."
"Why?"
"Well, it might have saved him the scene Gwenthian was witness to; and
which must have been rather painful to both. After all, it may have
been for the best. But, worst or best, I wonder where Master Trevor is
making for now? It can't be Hollymead."
"Not likely, after what you've told me. But we shall soon see--at least
whether he be coming up this way."
Both were familiar with the Forest roads--had ridden if not walked them
all--knew their every turning and crossing. Where that from Mitcheldean
descended into the Drybrook valley it forked right and left at the ford
of the little stream where now there is a bridge known as the "Nail."
Left lay the road to Coleford, right, another leading back out of the
Forest by the Lea Bailey. And between these two branchings a third
serpentined up the slope for Ruardean, over the ridge on which they
stood.
While they were still regarding the horseman on the grey, and his groom
behind, two other horsemen came in sight, riding side by side on the
same slope, just commencing its descent. Again Sabrina's eyes flashed
up with delight--that must be her expected one--riding alongside his
servant.
While indulging in this pleasant conjecture, she was surprised at seeing
still another pair of mounted men, filing out from under the trees, side
by side also, and following the first two at that distance and with the
air which seemed to proclaim them servitors.
"It may not be he, after all!" she reflected within herself, her brow
again shadowing over. "He said he would be alone with only Hubert,
and--"
Her reflections were brought to an abrupt termination by seeing the grey
horse, after plunging across the stream, turn head uphill in the
direction of Ruardean.
There was no time to make further scrutiny of the _quartette_ descending
the opposite slope. In twenty minutes, or less if he meant speed, he on
the grey would be up to them; and if Reginald Trevor, that would be
awkward, whether on his way to Hollymead or not.
It was Sabrina who now counselled hastening home; which they did with a
quick free step their country training and Forest practice had made
easy, as familiar, to them.