CHAPTER XXIV
THE HOMECOMING
AFTER four days of light but favourable winds the little fleet,consisting of seven vessels, that bore the Hampshire men homewardsarrived off the Isle of Wight. Battle and disease had thinned theirranks, but the survivors returned in high spirits, flushed withvictory and rich with the loads of spoil that lay in the holds.
At Spithead the flotilla separated, Sir John Hacket's two shipsmaking for Portsmouth Harbour, three heading for Southampton, and theremaining two setting a course down the Solent for Lepe and Lymingtonrespectively. Amid a fanfare of trumpets and the farewell shouts ofthe troops to their former companions in arms, the Constable'svessels pointed to the north-west in the direction of the even linesof Portsdown, under the shadow of which lay the Castle ofPortchester.
The shields of the three knights were displayed over the side of theleading ship, while from her truck floated the blue banner with thedevice of the crescent and star, and on the poop were gathered SirJohn Hacket, Sir Reginald Scarsdale, and Sir Raymond Revyngton,engaged in joyous conversation at the prospect of a speedy landing ontheir native soil.
"And what dost thou purpose to do, Raymond?" inquired the Constable."Surely there is little need to hasten westwards to thy newly-gainedestates; 'twould be better far to wait the return of the Devonshiremen. Tarry awhile at Portchester, for methinks there is much to bedone here before setting out on thy travels. And thou, Sir Reginald?Wilt accept such hospitality that my poor castle can offer?"
"I must first seek out my daughter Audrey," quoth Sir Reginald. "AndI have but little doubt that Raymond will bear me company."
"Doth she know of thy return?"
"Nay, and I'll warrant the maid will be taken aback when we arrive atthe town of Farnham."
A strange smile flitted over Sir John's face.
"Well, Raymond, what are thy plans?"
"I bear Sir Reginald company; then, having won or lost my suit, Iwill return to the castle, Sir John. For there are several smallmatters I must give attention to at Hamble and at the Abbey ofNetley, without which I cannot go to Churston."
The vessel was now slipping through the water with a fair wind andfavouring tide, and already the low-lying island of Portsca layabeam, and the Castle of Portchester was momentarily growing moredistinct.
"By St. George, they expect us!" exclaimed Raymond excitedly. "See,thy banner floats above the keep, and the walls are thick withpeople. And the garlands over the water-gate! Of a surety they werenot placed there at an hour's notice."
"Now that I bethink me," remarked Sir John drily, "I did send amessenger to Winchelsea, so perchance he hath taken a horse andridden hot-foot to Portchester."
For awhile they watched in silence the grey outlines of the castletopped with its living fringe. The master-shipman gave an order, andthe long yard, with its bellying sail, sank from the masthead; andthe vessel, carried onward by its momentum and the rush of the tide,came abreast of the fortress. Another order, and the anchor with itshempen cable fell with a sudden plunge into the water; the shipsnubbed at the tautened rope, swung round and brought up, ridingeasily to wind and tide. The voyage was over.
"See, Raymond," suddenly exclaimed Sir Reginald, "thine eyes areyounger than mine, yet if I mistake not . . . There, to the right ofthe water-gate!"
"Ay, the saints be praised. 'Tis the Lady Audrey!"
A small boat, manned by men wearing the Constable's livery, wasquickly alongside, and Sir John and Sir Reginald stepped aboard,Raymond following with unknightly haste. Amidst the shouts of theexcited throng of soldiers and villagers the boat's fore-foot gratedon the shingle, and the three distinguished warriors again set footon their native land.
"See, Audrey," said her father, after the paternal salute had beengiven and returned, "I bring thee an old acquaintance--not thesquire, Raymond Buckland, who saved they life at Southampton, but thegallant and worthy knight, Sir Raymond Revyngton."
* * * * *
Within a week a wedding was celebrated in the little chapel of St.Mary within the castle walls, and Sir Raymond Revyngton and the LadyAudrey Scarsdale were made man and wife. After the ceremony thekindly Constable congratulated the bride, and it must be confessedthat the bridegroom's eyes were opened by Lady Audrey Revyngton'sreply.
"To thee, Sir John, I owe much of my happiness, for Raymond was evera bashful lover. An he were but a simple squire I would have marriedhim, but when thou toldest me that he had been made a knight I wasfilled with joy. And for thy kindly thought in sending a specialmessenger to bring me hither to await your arrival I deem myself everindebted to thee!"
"Nay, thank me not, fair lady," replied the gallant old warrior. "Isit not the bounden duty of a true knight to help another? ForRaymond, though ever first in the field of war, hath been a laggardin the lists of love. Yet I am but a feeble instrument in this case,for against thy charms he would be powerless but in my heart I thankGod for the part I played in bringing together two noble familiesestranged by a fatal feud."
* * * * *
Little remains to be told. Sir Reginald Scarsdale, in spite of hisold age and infirmities, died as he wished, falling in defence of theBorder against a band of Scottish raiders, and in a quiet Yorkshirechurch he rests, his altar-tomb showing his effigy with the lions athis feet, making a fitting addition to the four crossed-legged imagesof his crusading ancestors.
Sir John Hacket, after seeing further service in France, acquiringadditional glory and renown at Poictiers, died peacefully at a greatage within sight of the castle whose Constableship he had held soworthily.
And as for Sir Raymond and the fair Lady Audrey, they lived a life ofunalloyed happiness in their manor of Churston, in the midst of thehills of Devon. Yet when the call to arms sounded, the redoubtableSir Raymond did not shrink from its summons, and at Poictiers and atthe slaughter of Najera in the wilds of Spain he added to hislaurels. And does not the prowess of the head of the Revyngtons atthe repulse of the French descent upon Dartmouth in 1377 still lingeramongst the annals of the sons of Devon?
From the union of the rival Revyngton and Scarsdale familiesdescended the successors of a noble heritage--men courageous andgenerous in war, noble and law-abiding in peace, men whose names havehelped to make the British Empire what it is to-day, and whose mottohas been, and let us hope will ever be--
"Non sibi, sed patriae."
THE END
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