"But the blue fearless eyes in her fair face,
And her frank voice, showed her of English race."
In the midst of all this turmoil and excitement Eleanor Northberry came
back to Portugal. Suitable escorts were so rare that, one having
offered itself, she was sent back without previous notice, and arrived
just as her father had recovered from the wound received before Tangier,
and while the question of the cession of Ceuta was still before the
States-General.
She had grown into a most beautiful maiden, tall and straight, light of
foot, and slender of limb, with a clear voice that spoke her mind
without fear or favour; blue eyes, clear and bright as the morning; and
a skin fair and rosy, such as had not been seen in Lisbon since the
young days of Philippa of Lancaster. The arrival of the English beauty
was like a ray of sunlight in the gloom of that time of suspense and
sorrow; and to Harry Hartsed it dispersed the clouds altogether; for she
greeted him heartily as fellow-countryman and friend. He lived, too,
with Sir Walter Northberry since the break-up of Dom Fernando's
household, so that they had many opportunities of intercourse, and Harry
was envied, especially by Alvarez, who fell a victim to this new and
lovely creature the first time that he beheld her.
Young hearts will be gay, and young lips will laugh, happily for the
world, even in sad times; and Harry and Nella, a few days after her
return were enjoying a lively chat over their old recollections of
pleasant Northberry.
"This central court, with its fountain, and those tall orange-trees, and
the couch on which my father sits, is almost the only thing I can
remember well. We stood there under the trees, I and Catalina, and the
prince sat here, by my father, and gave us the little crosses, on the
day we sailed."
"Alas!" said Harry; "when shall we see our beloved prince again?"
Nella did not know much of the matter in dispute, and decidedly inclined
to the view of rescuing the good prince at all cost. She looked solemn
for a moment, and then said,--
"Ah! there is no witch here to tell us what he is doing."
"Do you believe in the witch still, Mistress Nell?" said Harry, slyly.
"No, sir; not since I went down to help my aunt give out the dole one
day, and saw her eyes look out under old Goody Martin's hood. Doubtless
she knew us all well, having been at the manor every week. Oh, you need
not laugh; when I change my mind, I say so."
"I wish there was another witch near Lisbon, whom you longed secretly to
consult about your sister," said Harry in an insinuating tone.
"Sir, when I wandered in the woods by moonlight, I was a silly little
girl; now I am a woman, and wiser. Alack! I think I miss the dogs and
the fresh breeze, and I know I miss my dear aunt and uncle. This old
home is very new. I halt and stammer when my father speaks Portuguese.
I am altogether an English girl."
"There is no speech like English," said Harry; "I love it best."
"Oh, you have grown to look quite like a foreigner," said Nella,
saucily. "I am but a country maid, and your court is too solemn for
me." There was an indescribably joyous sweetness in Nella's voice and
manner that took from her gay retorts anything of boldness.
"See, Harry," she continued. "To-morrow I am to be presented to the
queen; I practise my reverence every day."
She came up to him as she spoke, making a low, sweeping curtsey.
"Rise, fair Senorita," said Harry; "our poor court is honoured by such a
guest."
"Now--now, I know you are no longer an Englishman!" cried Nella. "That
speech was never learned in Devon!"
"Like a Portuguese, madam, I can talk; but I mean what I say like a true
son of Devon."
"I cannot believe in such perfection. You were never one to belie
yourself with over-diffidence."
"I leave that to my betters," said Harry, with a bow.
"Oh, saucy boy!" cried Nella, laughing, then paused suddenly, as the
gates were thrown back without, and her father entered, cap in hand,
escorting an exceedingly tall and stately personage, with a sad but
kindly face. Behind him came Alvarez; and the whole scene brought back
strongly to Nella's mind the visit of Dom Fernando, years ago.
"My lord," said Sir Walter, "allow me to present to you my remaining
daughter Eleanor."
Blushing, and with unwonted bashfulness, Nella curtsied timidly, in very
different style from her mock reverence five minutes before.
"Welcome home, senorita," said Dom Enrique, with a grave smile. "You
come at a sad time;" and then, as if he could hardly turn his thoughts
from the matter in hand, he continued, addressing her father,--
"You know, Sir Walter, that the States-General have at length resolved
to offer a heavy ransom for my dear brother, and if this is refused, the
Pope offers a Bull of Crusade, and we strain every nerve to free him by
force of arms."
"I am aware, my lord, that Ceuta is not to be ceded," said Sir Walter
rather drily.
"It has been so determined," said Enrique, with a sigh; for well he knew
that the decision had been made on no such lofty motives as actuated
himself. Most men had thought Ceuta too precious to be parted with, not
because it was a Christian town, but because it was a strong fortress;
and Enrique had the unspeakable pain of finding himself on the same side
with men who cared nothing for his brother; and whose principles he
despised.
"The king resolves," he said, "on the strictest economy, to make this
possible. He has changed his mode of living, and cut off his few
pleasures, for our brother's sake. He hopes that his nobility will
follow his example."
"The late king, my lord, was so generous to his nobles that they owe
their utmost to his blessed memory."
"Even so," said Enrique. "But now, Sir Walter, I came here to-day to
speak with you of--of the foul treason that cut off our retreat, and
made my brother's sacrifice necessary. That most accursed traitor and
renegade, Brother Martin, has indeed disappeared; but it has been
whispered that others--his friends and followers--knew of his intention,
and that he had in some measure spread the poison of his apostasy among
his followers and admirers. Think you this is so?"
Harry Hartsed, who had been standing apart with Alvarez, gave an
indignant start, and coming forward, said, impetuously,--
"My lord, Brother Martin's preaching was ever in favour of the war. He
never uttered a word of treason in my hearing, and I saw much of him. I
do not believe that he was the traitor."
"Softly, softly," said Sir Walter. "Master Harry, you speak too freely
to the duke."
"Pardon," said Harry, doggedly; "but I will speak for my friends when
falsely accused."
"The treason of Brother Martin," said Enrique, "has been proved by
eye-witnesses. No Christian gentleman should call him his friend."
"If I may speak," said Alvarez, "Senor Hartsed was much with Brother
Martin, and in his councils."
"What! You dare to say that he spoke treason to me!" cried Harry.
"Young gentlemen," said the prince in his tone of grave dignity, "you
forget yourselves. Sir,"--to Harry--"you have given your opinion, and
that is enough. Sir Walter, I must go, for I have much business on
hand."
Dom Enrique rose as he spoke, gave to Nella--who had retired to some
distance--a courteous farewell, and went out, his look of sorrowful
oppression never having given way during his visit. Alvarez followed
him.
Sir Walter, when his guests had departed, turned back to Harry, and
rebuked him sharply, both for daring to stand up for so foul a traitor
as the renegade monk, and also for forgetting the respect due to the
prince.
Harry took the reproof sullenly. His heart too was sore at the thought
of his lost master. Brother Martin's passionate preaching had really
stirred his emotions, and made him feel himself a true Crusader. He
thought him unjustly accused, and was determined to defend him.
Alvarez, on the other hand, was filled with wrath at the very sound of
his name, and the result was that the next time they met the two young
men had a violent quarrel, in which Alvarez was passionate and Harry
obstinate and sulky. They were silenced and rebuked by Sir Walter, who
happened to overhear them; but they parted in mutual anger and hatred.
All was going wrong. The king suffered much in health from his sorrow
and from the great labours which his endeavours to fill his empty
exchequer cost him. Dom Enrique was unapproachable in his grief and
pre-occupation; and the gentle Fernando, whose eyes and ears had ever
been open to his followers' troubles, and who had managed to heal many a
quarrel, was far away.
Into the midst of this sad society, where every one was full of
mortification, sorrow, or anger, had come Nella Northberry, and her high
spirits recoiled from it. She was sorry for the prince and angry at
Brother Martin's treason, but she was not unhappy like the rest--only
dull, and a little home-sick. She soon became aware of her power both
over Harry and Alvarez, and her vanity was not quite proof against the
flattery of the passionate homage of the young Portuguese. Her love of
mischief prompted her to provoke her old companion by as much sauciness
as was consistent with the etiquette which she was compelled to observe
towards him; for the queen had placed her among her ladies-in-waiting.
Nella hated court life, was too young and undeveloped constantly to keep
herself in sympathy with the prevailing troubles, and, in short, she
diverted herself by making her two admirers jealous of each other.
Nella was young, gay, and unguarded; but she soon had cause to regret
her first month in Lisbon.