Annie Walton, on her return to Lady Margaret's sitting-room,
accompanied by Arrah Neil, who had given the signal agreed upon as a
notification that longer stay would be dangerous, found her good aunt
seated, her head leaning on her hand, listening to some intelligence
brought by her faithful servant William, who stood before her, with
his usual well-satisfied and shrewd look, detailing a valuable
discovery which he had just made.
"It is indeed so, my lady," he said: "they have corrupted her, there
can be no doubt. Give me a Puritan for ploughing with the heifer. I
saw the fellow Jones and the girl, with their two heads near together,
in the court; and as I was close to the casement and the casement was
open, I drew up against the wall, saying to myself, traitors make
eaves-droppers."
"What did they say? what did they say?" demanded Lady Margaret. "We
must come to a quick decision, William."
"Why, all I heard, my lady, was, that the trullion said to the
Roundhead, 'It is quite sure, for I saw her go in myself, and when she
had been there for two or three minutes I walked in too, just as if I
was going to look for something. There's no other way out of the room
to be seen, and yet she was not there. She didn't come out for an hour
either, for I watched.' Then the man answered, 'Well, we must wait
till to-morrow, when the reinforcements are coming up from Beverley.
We shall be enough then to overpower all resistance.'"
"Said he so? said he so?" cried Lady Margaret, with a thoughtful air.
"We must contrive means to frustrate them. Quick, William!" she
continued after a moment's meditation; "go and keep the people here.
Tell the farmers I will give them a supper; and if you can, contrive
to get more to come up. Then let some one go out and gather news in
the country; see what's the truth of this report that came last night,
of troops marching, and who they are."
The man hastened away to obey her orders, and Miss Walton gazed
anxiously in her aunt's face, inquiring--
"Do you think they have discovered him?"
"They have discovered something, Annie--that is clear," replied Lady
Margaret, "and enough to lead them to more; but they shall not have
him notwithstanding, even if we should fight for it. I know the house
better than they do, and could lead them into many a pretty trap if I
liked it. We can get fifteen or sixteen men together, and then they
are but twenty. Then there's Basto; he's worth three Roundheads at any
time, though he's but an old dog--and all the women besides. Why, you
would fight for this good earl--wouldn't you, Annie, my love?--else
you are not fit for a soldier's bride. On my life, I should like to
see you in a pair of jack-boots!" and the old lady laughed gaily
enough, to cheer her fair niece, whose heart was more easily alarmed
than her own.
"Could he not escape in the night, dear Lady Margaret?" said Arrah
Neil. "I went to walk out by the moonlight last night, and no one
noticed me."
"Because you are a woman, dear child," answered Lady Margaret. "He
must have a horse, too, for, though his wound is well enough now, he
could not walk far. However, it must be thought of if other things
should fail. But we must go and hold counsel with this good lord.
Well, William, what more?"
"Why, only, my lady, I have been asking Farmer Heathcote about the
troops moving, and he says he is sure of it; he saw the men himself.
They seem to be Cavaliers, too, and a good troop of them; but that was
yesterday evening, and they were then ten miles off."
"That's unfortunate," replied his lady; "for, if we could have given
them notice, we might have had help, and it would have been some
satisfaction to enclose these rat-catchers in their own trap. However,
you go now and watch Madam Maud for the next two hours; never take
your eye off her, and be sure she does not come into this part of the
house. You two girls stay here--I will be back presently;" and thus
saying she retired to her own chamber, sought the private passage into
the apartments where the earl was concealed, and, passing with a grave
look through that which she called the "chamber of atonement,"
threaded a long and narrow corridor constructed in the wall of the
building, and mounted a staircase of no greater width, which led to
the sleeping-room of Lord Beverley, where she found him reading one of
the books with which she had taken care to supply him.
"Well, my dear lord," she said, "they have found us out, I fear."
"Indeed, Lady Margaret!" replied the earl calmly; "then I suppose the
sooner I quit my present quarters the better."
"I don't think so, my lord," replied the old lady: "I am not sure that
it will not be wise to have a struggle for it, and that very speedily.
We have got fifteen stout men in the house, and you make sixteen. They
with their captain are twenty-one. I have a good store of arms here,
too, and I could bring the people round, or part of them, through
these passages to fall upon them in the rear, while the others
attacked them in the front."
"No, no, my dear lady," replied the earl, smiling; "that must not be
done on any account. In the first place, we might lose the day, and
then you and yours, and all that is most dear to me on earth, would be
exposed to violence of which I dare not think. The fire of musketry,
too, in such a house as this, might lead to terrible disasters; and,
besides, whatever were the result, unless Hull fall and the king can
hold this part of Yorkshire, you would be obliged to fly from your own
dwelling, and give it up as a prey to the parliamentary soldiery. It
must not be thought of. If you can but keep these men from pushing
their discoveries farther till nightfall, and get me out by the most
private way, I will go and take my chance alone. It is the only
course, depend upon it."
"Oh! we will keep them at bay," replied Lady Margaret. "They have been
quaking for their lives the last three days, and, while my stout
yeomen remain in the house, dare not stir one from another for fear of
being taken unawares. I have ordered my men to remain all day, and
have promised them supper at nightfall; so we are secure till then,
and in the mean while you may rest safe; for, sooner than they should
break in here, I will burn the house about their ears. If you are
resolved to go----"
"Quite," replied the earl.
"Then I will despatch one of the young men," replied Lady Margaret,
"as if he were going home, to have a horse ready for you on the road
to York. He can come back again to help us when it is done. In the
mean while I will send you food and wine, that you may be strong for
your ride; but I must tell you that there is a party of horse out
about Market Weighton, said to be Cavaliers, and it were well that you
should be upon your guard if you fly that way, lest they should prove
daws in peacocks' feathers."
"Nay, that cannot well be," replied the earl. "If I be not much
mistaken, the news I sent by Walton will soon bring the king before
the gates of Hull. It would not surprise me if these were some of his
majesty's own parties, and I will direct my steps towards them with
all speed."
Some further conversation took place regarding the arrangements to be
made; and it was agreed that, as soon as Lady Margaret thought the
earl's escape might be attempted with a probability of success, either
she herself or one of her fair companions should visit him and give
him notice; and after all had been thus settled, Lady Margaret, taking
her leave of him, returned to the room where she had left her niece
and Arrah Neil.
She found them speaking eagerly, poor Arrah's colour somewhat
heightened, and Annie Walton's eyes bent down, with dewy drops resting
on the lids.
"Nay, but tell my aunt," said Miss Walton. "Indeed, dear Arrah, you
should tell her."
"No," replied Arrah Neil, with her own wild eagerness, "I will tell no
one;" and then turning to Lady Margaret, she laid her hand upon her
arm, gazing with an appealing look in her face, and saying, "I have a
scheme, dear lady--a scheme which Annie opposes; but it is a good
scheme too, and she only fears it on account of danger to myself. Now,
I fear no danger in a good cause; and I am sure you will trust
me--will you not, dear Lady Margaret?"
"That I will, my child," replied Lady Margaret Langley, "and ask no
questions either."
"Nay, but hear," cried Annie Walton: "she is always ready to sacrifice
herself for others, and if she does not tell you, I will, my dear
aunt."
"Nay, nay," replied Lady Margaret; "you will not betray counsel,
Annie, I am sure. Let her have her own way. It is right, I will answer
for it; and if it be too generous for men, God will repay it. I will
trust her."
Annie Walton shook her head; but the conversation dropped there, and
the good old lady proceeded to make all her preparations for the
execution of her scheme.
The hours went by; the yeomen still remained at the Hall. Captain
Hargood continued to act upon the plan which he had previously
followed, but showed no slight symptoms by uneasiness at the prolonged
occupation of the house of Lady Margaret's tenantry, appearing from
time to time with an indifferent and sauntering air, which
ill-concealed no small degree of apprehension at all that he remarked,
and retiring speedily to his men again, without venturing to suffer
them to separate for a moment.
The hour of supper came on, and the table in the hall was crowded.
Lady Margaret appeared for a moment, and bade her guests make merry;
but two of her servants were stationed in the vestibule beyond, which
communicated with the stairs and passages that led to the part of the
house in possession of the militia, and whenever a step was heard
above, one of them approached the foot of the staircase, and listened,
to provide against surprise.
Night fell, and as soon as it was completely dark, Annie Walton
accompanied her aunt to the good, dame's own chamber, and, while Lady
Margaret herself remained there, proceeded with a lamp through the
dark passages in the wall, to give her lover the warning agreed upon.
They might be pardoned if they lingered a moment or two together; but
at length, descending with a rapid step, they approached the chamber
where Lady Margaret was waiting. As soon as the door opened the old
lady held up her finger, saying, "Hush! I heard a noise just now; but
I think it is merely those clowns in the hall roaring over their
liquor. Let us listen, however."
They paused for a minute or two, but all was quite still.
"It is quiet now," said the earl. "We should hear it any one were in
your sitting room, and I am to go out into the fields by that way, you
say."
"Yes, it is all quiet now," said Lady Margaret; and, advancing to the
door which led to the withdrawing-room, she opened it quietly but
quickly, followed closely by the earl and Annie Walton. No sooner was
it open, however, than Lady Margaret stopped with a start; and Annie
Walton with a low cry clung to her lover's arm, for the room before
them was full of soldiery.