Book 1 — Chapter VI

In which, by the Favour of the King's Messenger, I am permitted to ride south again on my Quest

Fortune favoured us, for what should come along but an empty coach and four that had taken one of the minor gentry out to his country seat and was returning to the city. The coachman was sufficiently astonished at the sight of a King's officer, his head bound up in a bloody rag, and a pale slip of a boy in disordered guise by his side. He halted instantly on being hailed, and when Sir Hugh disclosed his name and rank, and required the use of a coach to take us to Musselburgh in the name of the King, he made no demur, especially as his conscience was quieted and any resentment mitigated by a guinea which the soldier flung to him with a prodigal hand.

At his gesture, I preceded my captor into the coach, and sank back in the thick cushions of the seat with a great feeling of relief. Sir Hugh clambered in after me, shut the door, and sat down by my side.

"I should relieve you of the annoyance of my presence," he said, "by riding on the box were it not for this unseemly appearance."

He pointed to his head, and my heart really smote me. I would have killed him I suppose to secure the warrant, if it were necessary, but I had no wish to see him suffer, thereafter. I was ever an impetuous woman, and at once I spoke my thought.

"Sir, you must be holding me strangely indifferent to one who hath so delicately entreated me, but I am ashamed to say that I quite forgot your wound."

"I forgot it, too," said Sir Hugh, "and, indeed, 'tis nothing to worry about. Had I water and a towel, save for a raw scar for a few days, there would be no evidence of it. I have had bullets into me and through me seriously and often enough to make nothing whatever of a trifling scratch like this."

"I thank God," I said fervently, "that it was only a scratch."

"Madam," he rejoined promptly, "you cannot be more grateful to Providence for that than I am that my inadvertent bullet merely grazed your shoulder."

"Yet, sir, had you stricken me down, I had been saved from a worse fate."

Sir Hugh said nothing. The pause was almost unbearable. I broke it. He seemed to be waiting for me to do so.

"What ... what is the punishment for treason?" I asked.

"The block, madam," was the sepulchral answer.

Now I was willing to die. Indeed, if my father had to die, I was more than willing. At least I had been until now. But there was something so sinister and horrible in the prospect my imagination conjured before me at his word that I went white and shuddered.

"'Tis a hard fate," said Sir Hugh swiftly, "hard fate for a brave man and harder for a sweet woman. There must be some way of avoiding it."

There was nothing that I could think of to say, no way that I could see for avoiding it, so I perforce kept silence, biting my lip, clenching my hands, and fighting back the tears that brimmed in my eyes in spite of myself.

"Madam," asked Sir Hugh, at last looking at me very hard, "have I not used you gently since the affair of this morning?"

"That you have!" I cried. "I shall not forget your kindness, your delicacy about ... about my shoulder. A helpless maid could have fallen in no gentler hands. I shall thank you for your treatment during the rest of my short and unhappy life."

"Soldiers," said Sir Hugh, "are not always so black as they are painted. I am glad to hear you say that. I tried to treat you as I would a sister or a wife, had I been blessed with either. Now, will you allow me to question you on one or two points?"

"You may ask me anything, and anything that a woman may properly reveal I shall not keep back. I am glad to requite your services by entire confidence."

"You say that your father is not guilty of high treason?"

"No," said I, "I cannot say that, but I do say he went with Monmouth's adherents against his will; that he was in a measure compelled to, and that there are many circumstances which mitigate his offence against the King, so much so that, with the petition for pardon, we are persuaded that His Majesty will commute the sentence perhaps to exile or confinement."

"I am a soldier of the King, and, therefore, what I say may appear strange, but you interest me, madam. You interested me last night, you interested me more this morning, and you interest me even more at this moment."

If interest in his language did not spell some other word, then I fear I was no judge of hidden meanings.

"There is one argument to which the King is rarely insensible," he resumed rather guardedly.

"And what is that?"

"'Tis heard in the ring of the guinea upon his fellow."

"We are not without some argument of that sort," I replied.

"And how much, pray, do your resources amount to?"

"About three thousand pounds, I think," was my answer.

"Including the hundred I won from you last night?"

He took the wet purse from his pocket and balanced it lightly in his hand.

"Including that," I said, humbly enough now in all conscience.

"Now, madam," he said, extending it to me once more, "I pray you as the good comrade of a poor soldier, who, although he hath been cozened by a woman, is not yet without some reputation, to accept this trifle as part of your father's ransom."

I hesitated. It was hard for me to put my pride in my pocket, but he had spoke me so fair and had treated me so well; his manner was so winning—and we needed the money so much—I actually took it.

"That's well done," he said, clapping me lightly on the shoulder, "and like a lad of spirit," he laughed.

I was unreasonably glad of his praise, I know not why; but honestly I set down my feelings as they came to me. I did not resent the friendly touch on my shoulder, either; its kindly animus was so apparent.

"You have been very good to me," I said, extending my hand.

He took it in his own firm, brown one, and held it strongly, yet without hurt.

"'Tis the first lad's hand I ever kissed," he laughed again, bending over it and pressing his lips upon it.

How different that from the pressure of Master Dunner's lips, or of any other that had touched my hand!

"I have put my pride in my pocket with my guineas," I said, "but what avail either now? I have simply succeeded in getting myself in prison with my father."

"There is many a thing happens between the arrest of a criminal and his being clapped into a cell," interrupted Sir Hugh, with a profoundly philosophic air. "But I have not yet finished my catechism, my lady. I asked you last night had you a sweetheart, and your confusion led me to believe that you... What am I to think now?"

"Sir," said I, "you have no right to question me as to my private affairs."

"No right certainly, but as a friend, as a possible ally, I still press for an answer."

"I have none."

"Answer or sweetheart?"

"Neither."

"And there is no gallant gentleman of Scotland to whom you are pledged?"

"Would I be here if there were?" I answered sharply.

"True," said Sir Hugh.

"Now it is my turn to question. Why do you ask?"

"Not idly, your ladyship, I protest. I have a good reason."

"What is that?"

"Your true soldier never gives his reason until he has to."

"Oh!" I remarked, indignant at being thus flouted.

"Nevertheless," said he, "I shall give you mine. I am willing to save you for yourself, not however for another man."

To save me! What could he mean? I stared at him, bewildered.

"I don't understand," I began.

"You will presently. Now, let me tell you something about myself. I haven't a relative in the world, save a distant cousin, who would succeed to the title and estates should anything happen to me. As I hinted, I have admired and played with many women; I have loved none. I have never seen my ideal, whose qualities I prated of to you so volubly last night, until"—he paused significantly—"this morning."

"Oh, Sir Hugh!" I cried, "how can you thus make sport of my misfortunes?"

"I was never more serious in my life, madam, and I tell you this in order that you may understand my action and that consideration for no other person than yourself need obtrude itself upon my course. I intend, when we reach Edinburgh, to deliver you to..."

He stopped and looked hard at me, the conclusion hidden.

"The Lord Chief Justice," said I, completing his sentence. "It is just."

"To worthy Master Dunner, your attorney. I intend to place in his hands bills of exchange on my London bankers for the sum of seven thousand pounds, which, with your own three thousand, will better serve to move the King to grant your petition when you present it to him. His Majesty will be at Durham within a week. You can reach him there and save yourself the long journey to London."

I stared at the man in bewildered amaze, scarce at first comprehending the meaning of his easy sentences.

"But I am a prisoner," I faltered.

"My lady," was the answer, "you are as free as air. You can leave the carriage this moment, at your will, though I trust you will do nothing so precipitate and foolish as that departure would be."

"Then you don't mean to lodge information against me, and have me charged with treason, and imprisoned, and..."

"I mean to say..."

"But your failure to deliver the warrant? How can you..."

"That's easily explained. I was robbed by highwaymen, and..."

"But your honour, your reputation?"

"I think they will survive even such a strain," he continued easily.

"The seven thousand pounds?"

"I devote it to the service of your ladyship and your cause. The Earl, your father, can repay it at his convenience."

"And what," I asked, in my confusion, "hath brought me this noble, this most generous treatment from an enemy?"

"May you never have a worse enemy in all your life, Lady Katharine, than the one who now sits by your side."

The revulsion from despair to hope again was too great to be borne. When I realised the full purport of his words, I could scarce contain myself. I could find no words adequate to the situation. My usually ready tongue was paralysed. I knew not with what speech to break the silence.

"What hath so greatly changed you?" I inquired at last.

"You have," said the man bluntly.

I confess I liked the direct simplicity of the answer. Without giving me time for comment, he ran on:

"As I told you, I never saw a lad whom I liked better on short acquaintance than I did you last night. That you have turned out to be a woman in the morning, has only strengthened my"—he hesitated—"my regard," he added.

And, if that word did not spell what he had called interest had spelled to me before, again I was ignorant of the finer shades of meaning in the language.

"Never," said he, "in all my goings out and comings in through this little world, have I met a woman like you. I owe you a score which, I fear me, I shall never pay: that you, a mere girl, should have got the better of me, a tried soldier, fills me with shame and with admiration at the same time. I like your spirit. Should we have met under happier circumstances, it would have been my chief ambition to..."

He stopped suddenly. It was most annoying. I was burning to hear the completion of the sentence.

"To what, sir?" I asked. "Why don't you finish?"

"Madam," said he meaningly, "as a soldier and a gentleman, I put no price upon my services to a woman;" whereat I was discreetly and deliciously silent.

It was noon when we rode into Musselburgh. Sir Hugh, making such excuse as would serve to justify our condition, ushered me into a private room of the inn with all the care and tenderness that my sex and helplessness merited. He left me to my own devices for a little space, and returned presently with a physician, the chief practitioner of the town. The doctor much marvelled, I doubt not, but questioned me not at all, because, as I afterward learned, Sir Hugh had warned him to make no inquiry as to what he saw. He sewed up the wound, re-bandaged it, complimenting the skilfulness with which it had been treated by the way, declared that I would suffer no great inconvenience from it, that it would be well in a short time, and left me.

After his departure, there was set before me the daintiest and most delicate meal, which I partook of alone, although, to be honest, I would have greatly enjoyed the company of my captor. I took occasion to freshen my face and hands, and lie down for a half-hour's quiet rest before Sir Hugh tapped on the door.

"How fare you, madam?" he asked, after I had arisen and bade him enter.

"Excellently well," was my answer. "I am greatly refreshed by the surgeon's visit, my meal, and this hour of quiet."

"Canst sit a horse, think you?"

"As well as ever in my life," I replied.

"Well, then, I have two here, and, if you are ready, we will ride."

Sir Hugh had bought himself a hat; the surgeon had attended to his wound—the white bandage about his forehead was not unbecoming to one of his soldierly appearance and bearing. He had made such explanations as were necessary, and, although there was quite a crowd about the door of the hostelry as we came forth and mounted our horses and rode away side by side, there was no demonstration.

We passed the time before we reached Edinburgh, riding slowly and being passed by several horsemen, in much pleasant converse, tacitly avoiding the subject uppermost in our hearts. Sir Hugh gave me much sage information about the King and how to approach him, for which I was deeply grateful.

His uniform and imperious presence procured us free entry through the gates, although it was well toward evening when we reached the town. Nothing would do thereafter but that he must escort me to my hiding-place. It was perhaps reckless and imprudent of me to allow him to have knowledge of it, but such had been his kindness to me that I could deny him nothing. I piloted him, therefore, by the back streets to the rear of our lodging. We tethered the horses to the fence and entered the house by the back way. Master Dunner, who had heard the clatter in the alley, met me at the kitchen door.

"Have you succeeded?"

"Beyond our wildest dreams," I said.

"Who is this?" asked the old man, peering back of me at the towering form of the soldier.

"This," said I, "is Sir Hugh Richmond."

"Good God!" exclaimed the attorney, "have you taken him, my lady, as well as the warrant?"

"Indeed," said Sir Hugh, laughing, "I think in truth she hath."