|As the earl entered, Father Norham advanced to meet him, and saluting
him affectionately, gave him his benediction. This little ceremony over,
Lord Derwentwater addressed himself to Dorothy, expressing his delight
at seeing her, and thanking her for her kindness in accompanying the
countess on the hazardous expedition.
“I only hope you will have no cause to regret your obliging compliance
with her wishes,” he said. “I hope you will stay with her here, for I
really think you will be better off in this house than in the general's
quarters.”
“Oh! yes, Dorothy will stay with me I'm quite sure,” cried the countess.
“I can't part with her.”
Dorothy gladly assented to the arrangement, which indeed was very
agreeable to her, and this matter being settled, the earl again
addressed himself to Father Norham, and told him he was happy in being
able to offer him such excellent accommodation.
“You shall have as good a room as you have been accustomed to at
Dilston,” he said.
“I beg your lordship not to trouble yourself on my account,” replied the
priest. “I care not where I am lodged.”
Just then, Newbiggin came in and announced General Forster and Mrs.
Scarisbrick, and next moment the general made his appearance with the
young widow.
While he presented her to the countess and his sister, the priest
retired to the further end of the room.
Both ladies were very much struck by Mrs. Scarisbrick's beauty and
liveliness. She did not seem more than five-and-twenty. She was a
blonde, with very fine eyes and pretty features, and had a graceful
figure, set off by a charming dress.
She appeared exceedingly good-natured, and was certainly very desirous
to please. Indeed her manner was so engaging that both ladies were
delighted with her. The only thing that surprised Lady Derwentwater was
that she could tolerate such a man as Forster.
“I hope your lordship and Miss Forster will like Preston,” she said
after her presentation to them by the general. “We will do our best to
amuse you. In spite of war's alarms, a good deal is going on. To-night
there will be a grand ball at the town-hall. I have no doubt it will be
a very gay affair. All the officers will be present.”
“And some of the loveliest women you ever beheld,” said the general. “I
never knew what beauty was till I came to Preston.”
“Don't mind what the general says,” observed Mrs. Scarisbrick. “He
thinks too much of us.”
“I can't think too much of you,” sighed Forster.
“Ah! you flatter,” said the widow. “However, if Lady Derwentwater and
Miss Forster will honour the ball with their presence, they will be able
to judge for themselves.”
“Shall we go to this ball?” said the countess to the earl.
“By all means,” he replied. “It will be very numerously attended. In
addition to the officers, all my gentlemen soldiers will be there.”
“Yes, there will be plenty of military,” observed General Forster.
“Your ladyship may think I am jesting, but I assure you there is not an
officer or a trooper in the Northumbrian regiments, who isn't in love.”
“Beginning with the general himself,” remarked the countess.
“Yes, I own the soft impeachment,” he replied.
Mrs. Scarisbrick affected not to hear the observation, and said to Lady
Derwentwater:
“I must congratulate your ladyship on the house you have got. 'Tis the
best in the place.”
“So I fancied,” said the countess. “Sir Henry Hoghton must have been
very sorry to quit it.”
“He was driven out by General Forster's approach,” laughed Mrs.
Scarisbrick.
“Do you know him?” inquired the countess.
“Intimately,” replied Mrs. Scarisbrick; “and like him very much. But he
has one great fault. He is a Whig and a Hanoverian.”
“Then I presume you are a Jacobite?” said the countess.
“As ardent a Jacobite as your ladyship,” replied Mrs. Scarisbrick.
“I know you are very well informed, Mrs. Scarisbrick,” observed Lord
Derwentwater. “What think you of the news that General Wills has arrived
at Wigan?”
“I don't believe it,” she replied. “Had it been the case, I must have
heard of it. There are all sorts of disquieting rumours at present--but
General Forster needn't trouble himself about them.”
“I don't,” said Forster, emphatically.
“You may depend upon having early information from me,” said Mrs.
Scarisbrick. “I have friends at Wigan who will be sure to send me word
if anything is to be apprehended. You may therefore rest quite easy.”
“Nevertheless, I think you ought to advance tomorrow, general,” observed
Lord Derwentwater.
“To-morrow!” exclaimed Mrs. Scarisbrick. “I am sure Lady Derwentwater
will never consent to that.”
“I would if there were any necessity for the step,” rejoined the
countess.
“But there is none--none whatever!” said Mrs. Scarisbrick.
“You say you are a particular friend of Sir Henry Hoghton, Mrs.
Scarisbrick,” remarked Lord Derwentwater. “May I ask whether you have
heard from him since he left?”
“I had a letter from him this very morning, she replied.”
“Indeed!” exclaimed the countess and Dorothy.
“I showed it to General Forster, as he will tell you,” pursued Mrs.
Scarisbrick. “But Sir Henry doesn't say a word about General Wills.”
“Not very likely he would,” remarked Dorothy.
“There I differ with you,” said the general. “I am certain he would.”
“So am I,” said Mrs. Scarisbrick. “Besides, I have other correspondents
as well as Sir Henry, and I am confident they would have sent me
information of so important a circumstance.”
“Then you think we may rest easy for the present.” observed Dorothy.
“Perfectly,” said Mrs. Scarisbrick. “You shall have timely information
of any danger from me.”
“No need to send a spy to Wigan to watch the enemy's movements,”
observed Forster, with a laugh. “I get all the information I require
without trouble.”
“So it seems,” remarked Lord Derwentwater. “But I again counsel an
immediate march on Wigan.”
“Nay, nay, let us rest quietly here for a day or two, and enjoy
ourselves,” said Forster. “We can't have better quarters. Preston has
a hundred recommendations that no other place possesses. And since the
countess has joined us, I shouldn't have thought your lordship would
desire to move. What says your ladyship?” he added, appealing to her.
“I should certainly like to remain here for a day or two, if it can be
done with safety,” she replied.
“It can--I'll answer for it,” said Forster; “and since I am responsible
for any mistake, you may be sure I shall be careful.”
“Trust to me,” said Mrs. Scarisbrick. “Depend upon it I will procure
information of the enemy's movements.”
“Is she to be relied on?” whispered Dorothy to the earl.
“I cannot tell,” he replied in the same tone. “But your brother is so
bewitched that he will never move. You must look after him.”