CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
NEW FACES AND OLD FOES.
While Colonel Lunsford and Captain Trevor were waiting for the haw-hawgate to be opened, they had seen the figures of two ladies outlined inthe withdrawing-room windows--one in each. As yet the two gentlemenwere not visible to them; these being behind and half-hidden by thearras curtains. As the officers came closer, with eyes still upon thewindows, those of Lunsford, after a hasty glance at Vaga, remained fixedupon Sabrina in steadfast, earnest gaze, as on one for the first timeseen, but eliciting instant admiration.
Trevor had eyes only for the younger of the sisters, his thoughts goingback to the last time he had been there. He remembered it withbitterness, for he had fancied himself slighted; and, if so, the timehad come for retaliation.
"What a beautiful woman! By the Cestus of Venus, a Venus herself!"
It was the ex-Lieutenant of the Tower who thus exclaimed.
"Which?" queried Reginald Trevor, with more than common interest. Wellknew he the flagitious character of the man who was once more hiscommanding officer.
"Which? What a superfluous question! The tall--the dark one--ofcourse. Yellow hair isn't to be compared with her for a moment."
"Perhaps not," rejoined Trevor, pretending assent, glad to think hismilitary superior was not likely to be his rival in love.
"_Certes_, both seem beauties in their different styles," ran on thereprobate. "Who'd ever have expected such a pair in this out-of-the-waycorner of creation? I wish Sir John had given us orders to take upquarters in Hollymead House for a week or two. That may come yet whenthe devil!"
His final ejaculation had nought to do with what preceded. The mentionof his Satanic majesty was due to his having caught sight of a facebehind that he was in the act of admiring, but the face of a man. A manwell-known to him--one he hated, yet feared, as could be told by thescowl instantly overspreading his countenance, along with a whitening ofthe lips.
Nothing of this observed Reginald Trevor, whose features changedexpression at the same time, his thoughts all absorbed in what he sawfor himself--the face of another man at the other window in closeproximity to that of Vaga Powell.
"Eustace still here! What the deuce can that mean?"
Both exclamation and question were unspoken, though accompanied by asharp pang of jealousy. Some presentiment of this he had felt before,on the evening when he met his handsome cousin at the gate of HollymeadPark, going on to the house. And here was Eustace yet, when by all therules he should have been gone days ago, standing by the girl's side,apparently on terms of the most friendly familiarity!
He was not permitted to see them side by side much longer; nor Lunsfordthe other pair. For Sabrina, becoming indignant at the bold glances thelatter was directing upon her, moved away from the window, Vaga doingthe same; the two finally retiring from the room.
Another change of tableaux took place by Sir Richard appearing at thewindow occupied by the ex-gentleman-usher--which was that nearest thedoor--as he did, saying,--
"Master Trevor; I want you to be witness--see and hear for yourself howyour Cavaliers and King's officers comport themselves. If I mistakenot, you'll have an opportunity now."
In the words, as well as tone, was conveyed an insinuation which, tendays before, Eustace Trevor would have resented by drawing sword; allthe more that his own kinsman came in for a share of it. He had nothoughts of doing so now. Since then his sentiments, social aspolitical, had undergone a remarkable change; and he but answered theobservation by pressing in to the window, till his face almost touchedthe glass.
By this Lunsford had halted, and formed his troop from flank to line,fronting the house. The movement brought the cousins face to face atclose distance, Eustace bowing in a frank, familiar manner. The cold,distant nod vouchsafed in return would have surprised and perplexed himbut for a suspicion of the cause. His own conscience had whispered it.
All this while was Ambrose Powell standing in the porch, just as when hegave reception to Reginald Trevor delivering that letter of Privy Sealso contemptuously torn up. Nor looked he now repentant for having tornit; instead, defiant as ever. For he had cast his eyes over and beyondthe men in uniform, taken stock of those out of it, compared numbers,and made mental estimate of the chances for a successful resistance. Aword, too, had reached him from inside; spoken from the door of thewithdrawing-room by Sir Richard Walwyn. So that when Colonel Lunsfordapproached, in the swaggering way he had been accustomed to in the LowCountry, he was met with a firm front and look of calm defiance. It allthe more irritated the King's officer, thinking of him he had observedinside; and with the soldiers at his back, supposing himself master ofthe situation, all the more determined him to show his teeth.
"You are Ambrose Powell, I take it?" were his first words, spokenwithout even the ceremony of a salute, as he brought his horse's headbetween the supporting columns of the porch.
"Ambrose Powell I am, sir," responded the Master of Hollymead. "If youdoubt my identity," he added, in his old satirical tone, "I refer you tothe gentleman by your side. He knows me, if I mistake not."
This was a shaft shot at Reginald Trevor, further stinging him, too.But it was not his place to reply; and he bore it in sullen silence.
"Oh!" lightly ejaculated Lunsford, "it don't need the formality ofCaptain Trevor's endorsement. I'll take it for granted you're the man Iwant."
He spoke as might a policeman of modern days about to "run in" someunfortunate infringer of the laws.
"The man you want! And pray what for?"
"Only to pay your debts."
"Debts, sirrah! I have no debts."
"Oh, yes, you have. And right well you know it, Master Powell. Maybeyou'd prefer my calling it your dues. Be it so."
"Nor dues, neither; I owe no one anything."
"There I beg leave to contradict you. You owe the King three thousandpounds; just dues for maintenance of the State; your share of Supply forits necessary expenses. As I understand, you've been asked for paymentalready, and refused. But now--"
"Now I do the same. The King will get no three thousand pounds fromme?"
"He will."
"No--never!"
"Yes, now! This day; this very hour. If you don't give it willingly,why I must take it from you; must and shall. Possibly you haven't somuch money in the house. No matter for that. We can levy on yourplate, of which, I'm told, you've got good store--glad to know it. I'min earnest, Master Ambrose Powell, and mean what I say. When TomLunsford has a duty to do, he does it. So make no mistake; I'm not theman to go back empty-handed."
"If you be Tom Lunsford," sneeringly retorted the Master of Hollymead,"not likely. I've heard of you, sir. Robbers as you rarely leave anyplace empty-handed."
"Robbers!" cried the colonel, now furious. "How dare you apply suchepithet to me--an officer of the King?"
"I dare to the King's self--if he stood there beside you."
"A curse upon you, caitiff! You shall rue your rash words. Know, sir,that I have the power to punish sedition as recusancy. But I won'tpalter speech with you any longer. Do you still refuse to lend themoney--pay it, I should rather say?"
"Oh! you needn't have taken the trouble to correct yourself. It's ademand all the same. The `stand and deliver' of a highwayman. But youshall have an answer. I still refuse it."
"Then it shall be taken from you, sirrah?"
"If so, _sirrah_, 'twill be under protest."
"Under protest be it. As you like about that; devil care I. Ha-ha-ha!"and Lunsford laughed again. Then turning to the troop, he called out tohis first sergeant,--
"Dismount, Robins, and follow me with a couple of files?"
Saying which, he flung himself out of the saddle, and made to ascend thesteps of the porch.
"You don't enter my house by an open door," cried the Master ofHollymead, stepping backward. "You'll have to break it in first," headded, gliding into the hallway, dashing the door to behind him, and
double-bolting it inside.
Almost immediately after strong oaken shutters, moved by invisiblehands, were seen to close upon all the windows of the lower story, tillHollymead House looked as though its inmates had suddenly andmysteriously abandoned it.