CHAPTER XXIX
LADY O'HARA IS TRIUMPHANT
After spending a restless night, starting at every sound, and hearingthe hours strike slowly away, Lady O'Hara arose not a whit refreshed andconsiderably more ill at ease than she had been before.
During the night she had imagined all sorts of impossible horrors tohave befallen her husband, and if, when the reassuring daylight hadcome, the horrors had somewhat dispersed, enough remained to cause heran anxious morning as she alternated between the hall window and thegate.
No less worried was Jim Salter. He had returned from Fittering lastnight to find his master and Sir Miles gone, Lady O'Hara in a state offrightened bewilderment, and the house in a whirl. No one, least of allpoor Molly, seemed to know exactly where the two men had gone. All sheknew was that they had come back upon a scene of turmoil, with Mr.Beauleigh in the midst of a small crowd of excited servants. Her husbandhad elbowed his way through, and into his ears had Mr. Beauleigh pouredhis story. Then O'Hara seemed to catch the excitement, and she had beenhurried into the house with the hasty explanation that Jack was offafter Devil, who had caught Diana, and he must to the rescue. Tenminutes after, she had an alarming vision of him galloping off down thedrive, his sword at his side and pistols in the saddle-holsters. Thepoor little lady had sent an imploring cry after him, checked almostbefore it had left her lips. Afterwards she wished it had never beenuttered, and rather hoped that it had escaped O'Hara's ears.
Salter arrived not half-an-hour later, and his feelings when told thathis beloved master had ridden off in search of a fight, may be moreeasily imagined than described. He was all for setting out in his wake,but her ladyship strongly vetoed the plan, declaring that Sir Mileswould be rescue enough, and she was not going to be left entirelywithout protectors. Jim was far too respectful to point out that therewere five able-bodied men, not counting himself, in the house, but ashis master had left no instructions for him, he capitulated.
He proved nought but a Job's comforter next day, for when my ladypessimistically premised that both Carstares _and_ her husband wereundoubtedly hurt, he did not, as she expected he would, strive toreassure her, but gave a gloomy assent. Whereupon she cast an indignantglance in his direction, and turned her back.
At four in the afternoon they were both in the hall, anxiously watchingthe drive.
"To be sure, 'tis monstrous late!" remarked Molly, with wide,apprehensive eyes.
"Yes, my lady."
"If--if nought were amiss, they should have been back by now, surely?"
"Yes indeed, my lady."
Lady O'Hara stamped her foot.
"Don't say jes!" she cried.
Jim was startled.
"I beg pardon, m'lady?"
"You are not to say yes! After all, they may have gone a longway--they--er--they may be tired! Jenny may have gonelame--anything--anything may have happened!"
"Yes, m'--I mean certainly, your ladyship!" hastily amended Jim.
"In fact, I should not be surprised an they were not at all hurt!"
He shook his head despondently, but luckily for him the lady failed tonotice it, and continued with airy cheerfulness:
"For my husband has _often_ told me what an excellent swordsman Mr.Carstares is, and--"
"Your ladyship forgets his wound."
What she might have been constrained to reply to this is not known, forat that moment came the sound of coach-wheels on the gravel. With oneaccord she and Salter flew to the door, and between them, wrenched itopen, just as a gentleman's travelling coach, postillioned by men ingold and black, and emblazoned with the Wyncham arms, drew up at thedoor.
My lady was down the steps in the twinkling of an eye, almost before oneof the grooms had opened the door to offer an arm to my lord. Carstaressprang lightly out, followed by O'Hara, seemingly none the worse forwear.
Molly ran straight into her husband's arms, regardless of the servants,hugging him.
Jim Salter hurried up to my lord.
"Ye are not hurt, sir?" he cried.
Carstares handed him his hat and cloak.
"Nought to speak of, Jim. But 'Everard' well-nigh finished me for allthat!" He laughed at Jim's face of horror, and turned to Molly, who,having satisfied herself that her husband was quite uninjured and hadnever once been in danger of his life, had come towards him, full ofsolicitude for his shoulder.
"Oh, my dear Jack! Miles tells me you have hurt your poor shoulderagain! And pray what has been done for it? I dare swear not one of yougreat men had the wit to summon a doctor, as indeed you should have,for--"
"Whist now, asthore!" adjured her husband. "'Tis but a clean scratchafter all. Take him into the house and give him something to drink! I'llswear 'tis what he needs most!"
Molly pouted, laughed and complied.
Over the ale Jack related the whole escapade up to the moment when hehad parted from Diana at Littledean. Then O'Hara took up the tale with adelightful chuckle.
"Sure, Molly, ye never saw anything to equal poor old Beauleigh when hisdaughter had told him Jack's name! Faith, he didn't know what to do atall, he was so excited! And Miss Betty I thought would have the vapoursfrom the way she flew from Di to Jack and back again, in such a state ofmind as ye can't imagine!"
Molly, who had listened with round eyes, drew a deep ecstatic breath.Then she bounced up, clapping her hands, and proclaimed that she wasright after all!
"What will ye be meaning, alanna?" inquired O'Hara.
"Pray, sir, did I not say _over_ and _over_ again that if I could onlyinduce Jack to stay with us everything would come right? Now, Miles, youknow I did!"
"I remember ye said something like it once," admitted her spouse.
"Once, indeed! I was always sure of it. And I did coax you to stay, didI not, Jack?" she appealed.
"You did," he agreed. "You assured me that if I was churlish enough toleave, Miles would slowly sicken and pine away!"
She ignored her husband's ribald appreciation of this.
"Then you see that 'tis all owing to me that--" She broke off to shakeO'Hara, and the meeting ended in riotous hilarity.
When he went to change his clothes, Carstares found Jim already in hisroom awaiting him. He hailed him gaily, and sat down before hisdressing-table.
"I require a very festive costume to-night, Jim. Rose velvet and creambrocade, I think."
"Very good, your lordship," was the prim reply.
Jack slewed round.
"What's that?"
"I understand your lordship is an Earl," said poor Jim.
"Now who was the tactless idiot who told you that? I had intended tobreak the news myself. I suppose now, you know my--story?"
"Yes, si--my lord. I--I suppose ye won't be requiring my services anylonger?"
"In heaven's name, why not? Do you wish to leave me?"
"Wish to--! No, sir--my lord--I--I thought ye'd maybe want a smartervalet--and--not me."
My lord turned back to the mirror and withdrew the pin from his cravat.
"Don't be a fool."
This cryptic remark seemed greatly to reassure Jim.
"Ye mean it, sir?"
"Of course I do. I should be lost without you after all this time. Marrythat nice girl at Fittering, and she shall maid my lady. For I'm to bemarried as soon as may be!"
"Ay, s--my lord! I'm sure I'm very glad, s--your lordship. Rose, sir?With the silver lacing?"
"I think so, Jim. And a cream--very pale cream waistcoat, broidered inwith rose. There is one, I know."
"Yes, sir--your lordship."
My lord eyed him despondently.
"Er--Jim!"
"Yes--your lordship?"
"I'm sorry, but I cannot endure it."
"I beg pardon, my lord?"
"I can't have you call me 'your lordship,' after every second word--Ireally cannot."
"Why, sir--may I still call you 'sir'?"
"I would much rather you did."
"Ay, sir--thank you...."
In th
e middle of tying the bow to his master's wig Jim paused, and inthe mirror Jack saw his face fall.
"What's amiss now? And what have you done with my patches?"
"In that little box, sir--yes--that one. I was just thinking--here's theharesfoot, sir--that I shall never be able to see ye hold up a coachnow!"
My lord, striving to affix the patch in just the right spot at thecorner of his mouth, tried to control his features, failed, and went offinto a peal of laughter that reached O'Hara in the room across thelanding, and caused him to grin delightedly. He had not heard that laughfor many a long day.
EPILOGUE
His Grace of Andover sat at the window of his lodgings at Venice,looking down at a letter in his hand. The writing was his sister's.After a moment he drew a deep breath and broke the seal, spreading thesheets out upon the broad sill.
"My very dear Tracy,
"So you have gone again with no Farewell to yr. poor Sister, sir! I amindeed very offended, but I understand yr. Reason. As soon as I settmine eyes on Diana I knew the Truth and recognised yr. dark Beauty. I ammonstrous grieved for you, dear. I quite love her myself, altho' she isvery tiresomely lovely, but perhaps as she is dark and I am fair, weshall not clash.
"The Home-coming was prodigious exciting. Andrew was present, Dicky, ofcourse, and me. Mrs. Fanshawe, too, was there, for she knew Jack Abroad,and a monstrous queer Old Man, who was vastly fidgetty and overcome tosee Jack. Then Sir Miles and his wife came, who I thought quiteagreeable nice People, and Diana's Father and Aunt, rather Bourgeois,but, on the whole, presentable.
"Everyone knows the Truth now, but most People have been prodigious kindand I scarce notice a difference in our Reception. Dearest Dicky isgayer than he was wont to be and more darling, and I almost enjoy beinga Social Outcast.
"When Diana is properly gowned, as should suit her position (but Igrieve to say that she prefers to dress plainly), she will make aprodigious Elegantt Countess. I have promised to connduct her to my ownMantua Maker, which is very sacrificing, as I am sure You will agree. Iknow London will go Crazy about her, and, indeed, those who haveallready seen her, which is Avon and Falmouth, are positively Foolish. Imake no doubtt 'twill be very mortifying, but I suppose it must beborne.
"She and Jack are prodigious happy together; it is most Unfashionable,but so am I happy with Dick, so there are a Pair of us, and we had best_sett_ Fashion.
"Pray, return soon, my dear Tracy, you cannot conceive how I miss you. Iwas surprised you went away with Mr. Fortescue, I had no Notion you wereso friendly.
"With dearest Love,
"Yr. Sister
"LAVINIA.
"P.S.--'Twill interest you to hear that Miss Gunning is to marryCoventry. 'Tis all over Town this last Week."
* * * * *
Slowly his Grace put the sheets together and handed them to Fortescue,who had just come into the room.
"These, from my sister, may possibly interest you, Frank."
Fortescue read the letter through, and at the end folded it and handedit back in silence. Tracy laid it down on the table at his elbow.
"I began--wrongly," he said.
"Yes," assented his friend. "She was not--that kind of girl."
"But having begun wrongly--I could not undo the wrong."
"So you made it worse," said Fortescue gently.
"I would have married her in all honour--"
"In your own arrogant fashion, Tracy."
"As you say--in my own arrogant fashion, Frank. If I could go back ayear--but where's the use? I am not whining. Presently I shall returnto England and make my bow to--the Countess of Wyncham. Possibly, Ishall not feel one jealous qualm. One never knows. At all events--I'llmake that bow."
"You will?" Frank looked sharply down at him. "Nothing more, Tracy! Youdo not purpose--"
"Nothing more. You see, Frank--I love her."
"I crave your pardon. Yes--she would not take you, but she has, I think,made you. As I once told you, when love came you would count yourself asnought, and her happiness as everything."
For a moment his Grace was silent, and then back came the old smile,still cynical, yet with less of the sneer in it.
"How very pleasant it must be, Frank, to have one's prophecies sohappily verified!" he purred. "Allow me to felicitate you!"
THE END
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