Another day elapsed, and another. The sunshine mingled with the shade;
as is ever the case in human life; but there were no dark clouds.
Sometimes, for many hours, Chartley and Iola could obtain not a single
moment for private intercourse. At others, a whole sweet hour was won
from the great adversary of love, the world. Lord Calverly perceived
not, or did not seem to perceive, that anything was changed; and the
lady abbess set off to rejoin her nuns, as ignorant of the secrets of
Iola's heart as she had come. Thus wore away the second day, till
towards nightfall, when the whole party of the castle returned from
their evening ride, and entered the great court. The porter did not
venture to stop his lord's horse, as he passed the archway; but he
followed him into the court, with a quick step, saying aloud--
"Lord Fulmer is returned, my lord, and wishes to speak with your
lordship instantly. He is in the little hall."
The old nobleman dismounted from his horse, and, leaving Iola and
Constance to the care of the rest, hurried up the manifold steps which
led to the door.
Chartley's cheek flushed, as he heard the words the porter spoke; but,
as he stood by Iola's side, assisting her to dismount, she said in a
low but earnest tone--
"Chartley, to your tower, till you can command yourself--I beseech--I
entreat you--if you love me."
Chartley bowed his head in sign of acquiescence; and, not considering
that Lord Fulmer could not know all that had passed between Iola and
himself, since his departure, he consoled himself with the thought,
"If this lord keeps the spirit which he has hitherto displayed, he
will soon seek me in my chamber."
Thus thinking, he turned away to the apartments assigned to him, while
Iola, Constance, and Sir William Arden entered the main body of the
building. The latter, however, seeing Iola take her cousin's arm, and
whisper something in her ear, tarried in the great hall, while the two
fair girls ascended the stairs.
The words of Iola to her cousin were--"Come with me, Constance.
Something tells me in my heart that the hour of trial is coming. Let
me meet it at once, before my spirit sinks with anticipation. But I
must have something to lean on, dear cousin. You be my support."
They walked on, till they reached the door of the little hall; and it
was not climbing the steps of the stairs, though they were many, that
made Iola's breath come short and quick. It was the beating of the
anxious heart. She opened the door at once, however, and went in. Her
uncle and Lord Fulmer were standing together at some distance on the
right of the door in earnest conversation; and, as soon as Iola and
her cousin entered, Lord Calverly retreated towards the oriel window,
saying to his companion--
"Come hither, come hither."
But Iola would not give up the ground; and, though she walked to the
other end of the hall, she remained in the room. She turned an anxious
and eager gaze towards her uncle and Lord Fulmer, however, and
whispered to Constance--"I knew it--see how eagerly they speak."
They spoke so long that the suspense was very painful; but, at length,
they turned, as if to come towards the two ladies, and Lord Fulmer
said aloud--
"Upon my honour and my faith, not a word shall be uttered without your
permission;" and then they advanced with a quick step, Lord Calverly
only saying in reply--
"So be it then."
Iola gazed at them in the dim light, for the sun was by this time
down; and her hand clasped tight upon her cousin's arm--
"Now, God help me," she murmured.
"Iola, my dear niece," said Lord Calverly, approaching, "I have a
communication to make to you, which will take you somewhat by
surprise; but you have received an education which will make you
always submit to duty, I am sure, unmurmuring. This noble lord here
has just informed me of circumstances which render it absolutely
necessary that we should pass over all preliminaries, and that you
should give him your hand immediately, according to the contract
entered into long ago."
"Iola gasped, and tried to answer, but her voice failed her; and Lord
Calverly went on to say--
"It is somewhat sudden in verity and truth; but he must depart for
Dorset by daybreak to-morrow, and therefore the marriage ceremony must
be performed to-night. The priest will be ready in the chapel at ten,
and--"
"Impossible!" said Iola, in a firm and almost indignant tone; for this
was worse than she had expected, and it roused her anger. "What, two
hours' notice to prepare for the most important step of all a woman's
life And does this noble lord think to conciliate affection, or to win
esteem, by such indecent haste, by such a rude insult to all the
feelings of my heart?"
"What feelings?" demanded Lord Calverly, sharply. "I see, my lord, it
is as you thought. Hark you, lady, I am not a man to be trifled with.
I have ruled my own household well and steadily; and, please God, I
will rule you too. No one has ever been suffered to disobey me; and
you shall not be the first. Go and prepare. What, ho, without there?"
he continued, turning to the door; and a servant running up, he
said--"Bring lights here. Where is Lord Chartley?"
"Gone to his apartments, noble lord," replied the man.
"Set a guard at his door," said Lord Calverly. "Let his servants pass
in and out, but not himself."
Then turning again to Iola, with an angry tone, he said--
"Marry! The feelings of your heart! We begin to understand them,
niece. What have the feelings of your heart to do with a contract of
marriage already signed and sealed?"
"Everything," replied Iola; "in as far as upon them depends whether I
will or will not fulfil a contract entered into without my consent,
and which therefore cannot be binding on me."
"Idle nonsense," cried Lord Calverly; "you know little of the law of
the land, my learned gentlewoman. God's my life! We shall soon have
chits out of a nunnery-school setting up for chief justices. The
contract was entered into by your guardians on your behalf, and is
binding upon you by law."
"Then let him appeal to the law to enforce it," said Iola; "for by my
act and my will, it shall never be fulfilled."
"Nay, nay, my dear uncle," said Constance, "you are too harsh with
her. Think what a surprise this must be, when you yourself told me
that the king had not yet given his consent to the marriage, and that
it must be put off for a month or two, till he and the queen could be
present. Of course, she marvels at this sudden change; for I told her
exactly what you told me."
"More fool you, wench," answered her uncle, who was irritated beyond
measure, at the first opposition he had ever met with, from one whom
he conceived to be dependent on himself. "Circumstances have changed;
and now we must pass over royal consents, and all such trifling
matters. She is a disobedient hussy, and shall bow her pride to my
will this very night, or my name is not Calverly. Away to your
chamber, madam, and prepare as fast as possible. You have two hours to
think. So make your mind up, as best you may, to yield obedience, or
you will find I will force you."
Lord Fulmer had stood during this conversation, which was so rapid as
hardly to admit of interruption, in no very enviable state of mind,
and with looks by no means calm or dignified. He had thought himself
firmer and sterner than he really was, and now he hesitated and
regretted.
"Stay, stay, my lord," he said. "Iola, let me beseech you--dear lady,
let me plead."
"Hush, my lord," answered Iola, giving him a cold and shuddering look.
"Your cause has been put upon its proper footing, force. My noble
uncle, prompted by you, speaks the first feelings of your heart. No
after thought can now avail. You and he may drag me to the altar. You
and he may cause a vain ceremony to be performed, turn a deaf ear to
my rejection of the vows tendered me, and commit what violence you
will. But you cannot make me your wife; for that depends upon myself;
and the words which would constitute me such shall never be uttered by
these lips in favour of a man whom I never loved, and whom I now
scorn."
"This is all vain," exclaimed Lord Calverly, his rage only increasing.
"Argue not with her, my lord; she will learn her duty when she is your
wife. This very night--ay, as the clock strikes ten--the ceremony
shall be performed in the chapel of the castle, whether she will or
not; and, once that sacrament received, the union is indissoluble. My
chaplain will administer it. He will have no scruples to obey my
commands, when I show him the contract. Away to your chamber,
disobedient wench, and be ready to perform what you cannot refuse."
With a slow step, and still leaning on her cousin's arm, Iola quitted
the hall, mounted a few steps near the hall door, passed through the
long corridor which ran round that side of the castle, and then turned
into the passage, leading to her own chamber. Constance marvelled that
she trembled not; but Iola's step was firm and light, though somewhat
slow. She opened the door of the ante-room, and looked in; but there
was no one there, and it was dark and vacant.
"What will you do, dear Iola? How can I help you?"
"No way, dear Constance," replied her cousin, "but by giving me an
hour for calm thought. Keep my girl, Susan, way from me. Tell her, I
want no lights for an hour, and only wish to think."
"But what will you do?" asked Constance.
"Not marry him," replied Iola; "no, not if he had an emperor's crown
to lay at my feet. Does he think this the way to win a woman's
heart?--Leave me, leave me, dear Constance! Come again in an hour. By
that time my resolution will be taken--" and as Constance turned sadly
away and closed the door, Iola added, in a low voice to herself, "and
executed."
Slowly and thoughtfully Constance trod her way back towards the lesser
hall, pausing more than once, as if to consider some plan. When she
entered, the sconces were lighted, and her uncle and Lord Fulmer were
standing under one of them at some distance, still talking loud and
eagerly.
"Nonsense, nonsense," cried Lord Calverly. "This is now my business.
She will disobey my commands, will she? She shall be taught
better--" Then, seeing Constance, he raised his voice, as if he had not
been speaking loud enough before, exclaiming, "Where have you left
that little rebel, Constance?"
"In her chamber, my lord," replied Constance, in a sad tone.
"'Twere better you stayed for her," said her uncle.
"She sent me away, my lord," replied Constance, "refusing all
consolation."
"Well, well, let her sulk," answered the old nobleman. "We care not
for sullenness, so we have obedience. The storm will work itself
clear, my lord, never fear;" and he resumed his conversation with
Fulmer.
In the mean time, Constance glided out of the other door, and sought a
small room where the women servants of the castle were accustomed to
work in the evening. She found her own maid there, but not Iola's
girl, Susan; and, sending the former, to give her cousin's message,
Constance proceeded through the lower passages of the house, and under
the lesser hall, to the great hall below. It was now fully lighted;
but she found Sir William Arden still there walking up and down with a
slow step, and his arms crossed upon his chest.
"I am very glad I have found you," said Constance, approaching him,
with an eager and confiding look. "I have something to tell you."
"I thought so, dear lady," replied the knight. "I thought so, as soon
as I heard of this young lord's return; and so I waited here, to see
if I could help. What is it? Two or three men came in, a few minutes
ago, and took down some partizans from the wall. What may that mean?"
"That they have set a guard at Lord Chartley's door," answered
Constance; "and that my uncle vows he will compel Iola to give her
hand to Lord Fulmer at ten tonight."
"A guard at Chartley's door," exclaimed Arden. "Then something must be
done indeed. We must consult, dear lady; but let us seek some more
private place than this. You are not afraid to go with me?"
"Oh no," answered Constance, giving him her hand; "you persuaded me to
tell you so the other day. But come into the passage behind the hall.
Few pass that way, I believe; and, we can speak freely there."
Thus saying, she led him to the farther end of the wide vaulted
chamber, and thence, through a low-browed door, into a small narrow
passage, where a single lamp was twinkling. They both paused near the
doors and Constance then said, "What is to be done? You told me you
would help me on any occasion if you could. Now is the moment, my
noble friend."
"And so I will," answered Arden, frankly; "ay, if it should cost my
heart's blood. But let me hear the whole. I will interrogate you in
order, my sweet witness. You say they have stationed a guard at
Chartley's door, and declare they will force Iola to marry this moody
boy at ten to-night. They must have discovered all that we have
fancied between her and Chartley. Is it not so?"
"I can reach no other conclusion," answered Constance.
"Then, where is your fair cousin?" asked Arden.
"In her own chamber," implied Constance; "whence my uncle threatens to
drag her down at the hour named, and force her to marry a man whom she
abhors."
"It has been done before now," said Arden, setting his teeth close.
"What does your cousin propose to do?"
"I know not," answered Constance. "She sent me away that she might
think alone. She will refuse to the last, of that I am sure; and she
will have strength to do it firmly too; for her courage is far greater
than I ever dreamt it would be."
"Think you the chaplain will perform the ceremony if she does refuse?"
asked Arden, in a meditative tone.
"I fear so," answered Constance. "He is a mere creature of my uncle's,
and, as you have seen, fat, sleek, and pliable, considering venison,
and capon, and Gascon wine, much more than the service of the altar,
or the conscience of his penitents."
"Then we must contrive to give your cousin some support in her
resistance," said Arden, gravely. "It must be done; for she shall not
be sacrificed, if I were to cleave Lord Fulmer to the chine with my
own hand. But, upon my life, it is dangerous; for, if the king has
given his consent, and we stop it with the strong hand, we shall have
the wild boar upon us, and he is a savage beast."
"But his consent is not given," exclaimed Constance, eagerly. "That my
uncle admitted, and said they would do without. From some words, too,
I gathered that the marriage is to be concealed when it has taken
place."
"So, so, then our course is clear enough," answered Arden. "We will
take the king's part! Otherwise, dear Constance, I must have asked you
to make up a little packet of plain clothes, and jump up _en croupe_
behind your knight, and away with him to Britanny, as ladies did in
days of old, if tales of knight errantry are true. Upon my life it
would be no bad plan."
"Nay, nay," said Constance, "speak seriously, Arden; for my heart is
very full of poor Iola just now."
"But one little corner left for me," answered Arden; and then more
seriously he added, "Well, well, I will stop this marriage. Fear not;
we must begin soon, however; for it will not do to have strife in the
chapel."
"There will not be bloodshed?" said Constance, with a look of terror.
"Oh no, I trust not," replied Arden. "That which requires secrecy is
soon given up, when men find it must be made public. The king's name
will, I doubt not, be sufficient; but we must take means to prevent
anything like resistance being offered. How many men are there in the
castle, do you know?"
"There were thirty-five," answered Constance, "so my maid told me; but
three of those who came from the abbey with us, and ten of my uncle's
men, went well armed to guard my aunt back, and have not yet returned.
Some, too, are cooks and kitchen men."
"We are ten," said Arden, musing. "That is quite enough; but yet we
must have recourse to stratagem, in order to make sure that no rash
opposition brings on violence. Leave it to me, dear Constance, leave
it to me. You go to your own little chamber, say your prayers, and,
when your hour is expired, go to your pretty cousin, and tell her, old
William Arden says that they shall not marry her to any one against
her will. So let her keep a good heart, be firm, and fear not."
"Had I not better go and tell her now," said Constance, eager to
relieve her cousin's anxiety.
"What, little soldier, not obey your general's orders," exclaimed
Arden, laughing. "No, no, we can do nothing yet, till the time comes
near; for I suppose you would not have me tell your uncle that it was
from you my information came. I must see signs of a wedding, before I
proceed to stop it. But be content; all shall be prepared; and you be
secret, not to let any burst of joy betray that we have concerted
measures of deliverance. Now, farewell, dear Constance. Both you and
Iola keep quiet above, till all the hurly burly's done; for we shall
have hard words going, if nothing harder still, which God forfend."
"Oh, I beseech you, let there be no violence!" said Constance,
imploringly.
"No, no, there shall be none," replied Arden. "If they assail not us,
we will not assail them. But still women are better out of the way,"
he added, kissing her hand; "for they scream, you know, Constance, and
that makes a noise."
With a faint smile Constance left him; and turning to the hall he
recommenced his walk, till, at length, Lord Calverly came down,
pausing suddenly, when he saw his guest there. The moment after he
called for a servant, however, and gave him some orders in a low
voice, while Arden turned at the other end of the hall, and in his
perambulations approached, the place where he stood.
"It has been a lovely day, and promises as fine a night, my lord,"
said the knight, in the tone of ordinary conversation. "Methinks I
will go and take a walk upon the battlements, a cup of wine, and then
to bed; for I was stirring early to-day."
"Would I could be companion of your walk," replied Lord Calverly, with
courteous hypocrisy. "Nothing is pleasanter than a warm moonlight
night of summer; but I have dull business to be attended to; and
business, you know, Sir William, must supersede pleasure."
"Quite just, my lord, and wise," replied Arden, "as indeed is always
what your lordship says. I will away, however, giving you good night.
May success attend all honourable business, and then slumber bring
repose." Thus saying, he turned and left the hall; and the old
nobleman called loudly by name for some of his attendants.