Escape.
It was time, however, to lay some plan, and make some preparations, for
our departure. The first thing to be secured was a convenient exit from
the house. I searched in all directions, but could discover none better
than that by which I had entered. Leaving the house one evening, as soon
as Lady Alice had retired, I communicated my situation to Wood, who
entered with all his heart into my projects. Most fortunately, through
all her so-called madness, Lady Alice had retained and cherished the
feeling that there was something sacred about the diamond-ring and the
little money which had been intended for our flight before; and she had
kept them carefully concealed, where she could find them in a moment. I
had sent the ring to a friend in London, to sell it for me; and it
produced more than I expected. I had then commissioned Wood to go to the
county town and buy a light gig for me; and in this he had been very
fortunate. My dear old Constancy had the accomplishment, not at all
common to chargers, of going admirably in harness; and I had from the
first enjoined upon Wood to get him into as good condition as possible.
I now fixed a certain hour at which Wood was to be at a certain spot on
one of the roads skirting the park, where I had found a crazy door in
the plank-fence--with Constancy in the dogcart, and plenty of wraps for
Alice.
“And for Heaven’s sake, Wood,” I concluded, “look to his shoes.”
It may seem strange that I should have been able to go and come thus
without detection; but it must be remembered that I had made myself more
familiar with the place than any of its inhabitants, and that there were
only a very few domestics in the establishment. The gardener and
stableman slept in the house, for its protection; but I knew their
windows perfectly, and most of their movements. I could watch them all
day long, if I liked, from some loophole or other of my quarter; where,
indeed, I sometimes found that the only occupation I could think of.
The next evening I said, “Alice, I must leave the house: will you go
with me?”
“Of course I will, Duncan. When?”
“The night after to-morrow, as soon as every one is in bed and the house
quiet. If you have anything you value very much, take it; but the
lighter we go the better.”
“I have nothing, Duncan. I will take a little bag--that will do for me.”
“But dress as warmly as you can. It will be cold.”
“Oh, yes; I won’t forget that. Good night.”
She took it as quietly as going to church.
I had not seen Mrs. Blakesley since she had told me that the young earl
and countess were expected in about a month; else I might have learned
one fact which it was very important I should have known, namely, that
their arrival had been hastened by eight or ten days. The very morning
of our intended departure, I was looking into the court through a little
round hole I had cleared for observation in the dust of one of the
windows, believing I had observed signs of unusual preparation on the
part of the household, when a carriage drove up, followed by two others,
and Lord and Lady Hilton descended and entered, with an attendance of
some eight or ten.
There was a great bustle in the house all day. Of course I felt uneasy,
for if anything should interfere with our flight, the presence of so
many would increase whatever difficulty might occur. I was also uneasy
about the treatment my Alice might receive from the new-comers. Indeed,
it might be put out of her power to meet me at all. It had been arranged
between us that she should not come to the haunted chamber at the usual
hour, but towards midnight.
I was there waiting for her. The hour arrived; the house seemed quiet;
but she did not come. I began to grow very uneasy. I waited half an hour
more, and then, unable to endure it longer, crept to her door. I tried
to open it, but found it fast. At the same moment I heard a light sob
inside. I put my lips to the keyhole, and called “_Alice_.” She answered
in a moment:--
“They have locked me in.”
The key was gone. There was no time to be lost. Who could tell what they
might do to-morrow, if already they were taking precautions against her
madness? I would try the key of a neighbouring door, and if that would
not fit, I would burst the door open, and take the chance. As it was,
the key fitted the lock, and the door opened. We locked it again on the
outside, restored the key, and in another moment were in the haunted
chamber. Alice was dressed, ready for flight. To me, it was very
pathetic to see her in the shapes of years gone by. She looked faded and
ancient, notwithstanding that this was the dress in which I had seen her
so often of old. Her stream had been standing still, while mine had
flowed on. She was a portrait of my own young Alice, a picture of her
own former self.
One or two lights glancing about below detained us for a little while.
We were standing near the window, feeling now very anxious to be clear
of the house; Alice was holding me and leaning on me with the essence of
trust; when, all at once, she dropped my arm, covered her face with her
hands, and called out: “The horse with the clanking shoe!” At the same
moment, the heavy door which communicated with this part of the house
flew open with a crash, and footsteps came hurrying along the passage. A
light gleamed into the room, and by it I saw that Lady Alice, who was
standing close to me still, was gazing, with flashing eyes, at the door.
She whispered hurriedly:
“I remember it all now, Duncan. My brain is all right. It is come again.
But they shall not part us this time. You follow me for once.”
As she spoke, I saw something glitter in her hand. She had caught up an
old Malay creese that lay in a corner, and was now making for the door,
at which half a dozen domestics were by this time gathered. They, too,
saw the glitter, and made way. I followed close, ready to fell the first
who offered to lay hands on her. But she walked through them unmenaced,
and, once clear, sped like a bird into the recesses of the old house.
One fellow started to follow. I tripped him up. I was collared by
another. The same instant he lay by his companion, and I followed Alice.
She knew the route well enough, and I overtook her in the great hall. We
heard pursuing feet rattling down the echoing stair. To enter my room
and bolt the door behind us was a moment’s work; and a few moments more
took us into the alley of the kitchen-garden. With speedy, noiseless
steps, we made our way to the park, and across it to the door in the
fence, where Wood was waiting for us, old Constancy pawing the ground
with impatience for a good run.
He had had enough of it before twelve hours were over.
Was I not well recompensed for my long years of despair? The cold stars
were sparkling overhead; a wind blew keen against us--the wind of our
own flight; Constancy stepped out with a will; and I urged him on, for
he bore my beloved and me into the future life. Close beside me she sat,
wrapped warm from the cold, rejoicing in her deliverance, and now and
then looking up with tear-bright eyes into my face. Once and again I
felt her sob, but I knew it was a sob of joy, and not of grief. The
spell was broken at last, and she was mine. I felt that not all the
spectres of the universe could tear her from me, though now and then a
slight shudder would creep through me, when the clank of Constancy’s bit
would echo sharply back from the trees we swept past.
We rested no more than was absolutely necessary; and in as short a space
as ever horse could perform the journey, we reached the Scotch border,
and before many more hours had gone over us, Alice was my wife.