|The leader of the troop seemed an important personage, since he was
treated with marked deference by Parson Woods. After putting a few
questions in an undertone to the minister, he turned to the ladies, and
said:
“Am I to understand that I am addressing Lady Derwent water and Miss
Forster?”
“You are, sir,” replied the countess. “And if you are satisfied on the
point, I presume we shall not be detained?”
The officer made no direct reply, but said rather bluntly:
“Who are these persons with you?”
“One is Lord Derwentwater's chaplain,” replied the countess. “The other
is a private servant.”
“Your ladyship must excuse me if I appear inquisitive, but I am obliged
to ask where you are going?” said the officer. “Moreover, I must request
a precise answer to the inquiry.”
“It is not my habit to equivocate, sir,” replied she. “My destination is
Dilston, and if we are allowed to proceed, Miss Forster will accompany
me.”
“I presume your ladyship thinks Preston unsafe, or you would not quit it
in this manner?” remarked the officer.
Lady Derwentwater made no reply.
“That question ought not to have been put,” said
Dorothy. “We are not called upon to explain the cause of our departure.”
“But when General Forster's sister flies, it may be presumed that the
place is not likely to hold out long,” remarked the officer.
“You may draw any inference you please,” rejoined Dorothy. “My own
opinion is that General Wills will be driven away to-morrow. He has
certainly had the worst of it to-day.”
“Then you will have an opportunity of witnessing his defeat,” said the
officer; “for I propose to send you back to the town. Parson Woods,” he
added to the minister, “since you have made this important capture, you
shall conduct the ladies to the Fishergate avenue. I will send a party
of horse to sustain you.”
“I don't require support, general,” said the minister.
“General!” exclaimed the countess. “Is it possible we are speaking to
General Wills?”
“Has your ladyship only just made that discovery?” cried Parson Woods,
laughing.
“I suspected it from the first,” observed Dorothy.
“You can tell your brother, the general, that you have had a conference
with me,” said Wills; “and that you told me to my face that I should be
defeated on the morrow.”
“I told you the truth, general, however disagreeable it may be to hear
it,” said Dorothy.
“Well, time will show,” rejoined Wills; “but I rather think that before
to-morrow night General Forster will have surrendered, and in that event
the Earl of Derwentwater will be given up as a hostage.”
Just then a horseman, who proved to be Sir Henry Hoghton, rode up,
having with him a lady on horseback.
“I am glad I have found you, general,” said Sir Henry. “This lady has
something important to communicate to you.”
“Pray come this way, madam,” said Wills, taking the lady aside.
Thereupon, a whispered conversation took place between them.
“I know that voice,” observed the countess to Dorothy. “But surely it
cannot be----
“It is Mrs. Scarisbrick,” was the reply in a low tone. “I always thought
she played my brother false. Now we have positive proof of it. She has
come to give information respecting the state of the town.”
Dorothy was quite right in the conjecture.
When the conference between Wills and Mrs. Scarisbrick was ended, and
the lady found that the countess and Dorothy were close at hand, she
became very uneasy, and begged General Wills to set them free.
“If they go back, I cannot,” she observed. “They will tell General
Forster they have seen me here, and what explanation can I give him?”
“It matters little now what explanation is given,” replied Wills. “But
you shall not be exposed to any annoyance. You must be on the spot.
To-morrow, you are certain to have important information to give me.”
“I will not fail,” she replied.
General Wills then called to Sir Henry, and after consigning Mrs.
Scarisbrick to his care turned to Parson Woods, who was waiting for
final orders, and said:
“I have altered my plans, parson. Take Lady Der-wentwater and Miss
Forster with their attendants across the river, and then set them free.”
“It shall be done, general,” replied Woods, with a military salute. “Be
pleased to follow me, ladies.”
He was not quite so civil to Father Norham and New-biggin.
“I hope we are not liberated at that lady's request,” said the countess.
“I would not willingly be under any obligation to her.”
“You need not be uneasy,” said Wills. “You are under no obligation
to any one but me. Good-night, ladies. I wish you a safe journey to
Dilston. When I tell you that General Carpenter will be here with two
thousand men to-morrow, you may be glad to be out of the way.”
He rode off, while the ladies and their companions were taken across the
ford by Parson Woods, and then liberated.