CHAPTER VII
MY LADY RAGES
I was shaken quite out of my exultation. I stood raging at myself in adefiant scorn, struck dumb at the folly that will let a man who loves onewoman go sweethearting with another. Her eyes stabbed me, the while Istood there dogged yet grovelling, no word coming to my dry lips. What wasthere to be said? The tie that bound me to Aileen was indefinable,tenuous, not to be phrased; yet none the less it existed. I stoodconvicted, for I had tacitly given her to understand that no woman foundplace in my mind save her, and at the first chance she found another in myarms. Like a detected schoolboy in presence of the rod I awaited mysentence, my heart a trip-hammer, my face a picture of chagrin and dread.
For just a moment she held me in the balance with that dreadful smile onher face, my day of judgment come to earth, then turned and away without aword. I flung wildly after her, intent on explaining what could not beexplained. In the night I lost her and went up and down through theshrubbery calling her to come forth, beating the currant and gooseberrybushes in search of her. A shadow flitted past me toward the house, and atthe gate I intercepted the girl. Better I had let her alone. My heartmisgave me at sight of her face; indeed the whole sweep of her lithesomereedy figure was pregnant with Highland scorn and pride.
"Oh, Aileen, in the arbour----" I was beginning, when she cut me short.
"And I am thinking I owe you an apology for my intrusion. In troth, Mr.Montagu, my interruption of your love-makings was not intentional."
Her voice gave me the feel of being drenched with ice-water.
"If you will let me explain, Aileen----"
"Indeed, and there iss nothing to explain, sir. It will be none of mybusiness who you are loving, and-- Will you open the gate, Mr. Montagu?"
"But I must explain; 'twas a madness of the blood. You do notunderstand----"
"And gin I never understand, Mr. Montagu, the lift (sky) will not fall.Here iss a great to-do about nothing," she flung back with a kind ofbitter jauntiness.
"Aileen," I cried, a little wildly, "you will not cast me off without ahearing. Somehow I must make it clear, and you must try----"
"My name it iss Miss Macleod, and I would think it clear enough already atall events. I will be thanking you to let me pass, sir."
Her words bit, not less the scorch of her eyes. My heart was like runningwater.
"And is this an end to all-- Will you let so small a thing put a period toour good comradeship?" I cried.
"Since you mention it I would never deny that I am under obligations toyou, sir, which my brother will be blithe to repay----"
"By Heaven, I never mentioned obligations; I never thought of them. Isthere no friendship in your heart for me?"
"Your regard iss a thing I have valued, but"--there was a little break inthe voice which she rode over roughshod--"I can very well be getting alongwithout the friendships of that girl's lover."
She snatched open the gate and flung past me to the house, this superbyoung creature, tall, slim, supple, a very Diana in her rage, a woman tooif one might judge by the breasts billowing with rising sobs. More slow Ifollowed, quite dashed to earth. All that I had gained by months ofservice in one moment had been lost. She would think me another of theVolney stamp, and her liking for me would turn to hate as with him.
A low voice from the arbour called "Kenn!" But I had had enough ofgallivanting for one night and I held my way sullenly to the house. Swiftfeet pattered down the path after me, and presently a little hand fell onmy arm. I turned, sulky as a baited bear.
"I am so sorry, Kenn," said Mistress Antoinette demurely.
My sardonic laughter echoed cheerlessly. "That there is no more mischiefto your hand. Oh never fear! You'll find some other poor breeched gullshortly."
The brown dovelike eyes of the little rip reproached me.
"'Twill all come right, Kenn. She'll never think the worse of you forthis."
"I'll be no more to her than a glove outworn. I have lost the only woman Icould ever love, and through my own folly, too."
"Alackaday, Kenn! Y' 'ave much to learn about women yet. She will thinkthe more of you for it when her anger is past."
"Not she. One of your fashionables might, but not Aileen."
"Pooh! I think better of her than you. She's not all milk and water.There's red blood in her veins, man. Spunk up and brazen it out. Cock yourchin and whistle it off bravely. Faith, I know better men than you whowould not look so doleful over one of 'Toinette Westerleigh's kisses. If Iwere a man I would never kiss and be sorry for all the maids inChristendom."
The saucy piquant tilt to her chin was a sight for the gods to admire.
"You forget I love her."
"Oh, you play on one string. She's not the only maid i' the world," poutedthe London beauty.
"She's the only one for me," I said stubbornly, and then added dejectedly,"and she's not for me neither."
The little rogue began to laugh. "I give you up, Kenn. Y'are as moonstrucka lover as ever I saw. Here's for a word of comfort, which you don'tdeserve at all. For a week she will be a thunder-cloud, then the sun willbeam more brightly than ever. But don't you be too submissive. La! Womencannot endure a wheedling lover."
After that bit of advice my sage little monitor fell sober and explainedto me her reason for sending me the note. It appeared that Sir RobertVolney was due to meet the party at the inn that very evening, and MissWesterleigh was of opinion that I and my charge would do well to take theroad at once. I was of that mind myself. I lost no time in reaching thehouse and ordering a relay of horses for our immediate travel. Then I tookthe stairs three at a time and came knocking at Aileen's door.
"Who iss there?" asked a small voice, full of tears and muffled in apillow.
Her distress went to my heart, none the less because I who had been thecause of it could not heal it.
"Tis I--Kenneth Montagu. Open the door, please."
There was a moment's silence, then--
"I am not wishing to see Mr. Montagu to-night."
"Not for the world would I trouble you, Miss Macleod, but there is amatter I have to disclose that touches us nearly."
"I think you will not have heard aright. I am desiring to be alone, sir,"she answered, the frost in her voice.
It may be guessed that this dismissal chafed me. My eagerness was daunted,but yet I would not be fubbed off.
"Miss Macleod, you may punish me as much as you like some other time," Icried desperately, "but 'fore God! if you do not open the door you willregret it till the last day of your life."
"Are you threatening me, sir?" she asks, mighty haughty.
"Threatening--no! I do not threaten, but warn. This matter is of life anddeath, not to be played with;" and to emphasize my words I mentioned thename of Volney.
She came raging to the door and whipped it open very sudden. Her affrontedeyes might have belonged to a queen, but the stains on her cheeks betrayedher.
"Well, and what iss this important matter that cannot be waiting? PerhapsMr. Montagu mistakes this for the room of Mistress Westerleigh."
I told her that Sir Robert was expected shortly to arrive at the inn, andthat we must be on the road at once. She thanked me very primly for theinformation, but declared she would not trouble me further, that she meantto abide at the inn all night no matter who came; moreover, that when shedid leave Hamish Gorm would be sufficient guard. I argued, cajoled,warned, threatened, but she was not to be moved. The girl took a perversepleasure in thwarting me, and the keener I grew the more dour grew she. Wemight have disputed the point an hour had I not come to my senses andappeared to give way.
Suspecting that the girl's fears of Sir Robert would reassert themselveswhen she was left to herself, I sought her maid and easily induced thegirl to propose to her mistress a departure without my knowledge. Thesuggestion worked like a charm, and fifteen minutes later I had thepleasure of seeing the chaise roll out of the lighted yard into the night.Need it be said that Kenneth Montagu was ahorse and af
ter the coach withina few minutes.
All night I jogged behind them, and in the morning rode up to the innwhere they stopped for breakfast. From Mistress Aileen I got the slightestbow in the world as I passed to my solitary breakfast at a neighbouringtable. Within the hour they were away again, and I after to cover therear. Late in the day the near wheeler fell very lame. The rest of theanimals were dead beat, and I rode to the nearest hamlet to get anotherhorse. The night was falling foul, very mirk, with a rising wind, andmethought the lady's eyes lightened when she saw me return with help toget them out of their difficulty. She thanked me stiffly with a verystraight lip.
"At all events there will be no end to the obligations I am under, Mr.Montagu. They will be piling high as Ben Nevis," she said, but 'twouldhave taken a penetrating man to have discovered any friendliness in thevoice.
Yet henceforth I made myself one of the party, admitted on sufferance witha very bad grace. More than once I tried to break through the chillconventionals that made the staple of our conversation, but the girl wasice to me. In the end I grew stiff as she. I would ride beside the coachall day with scarce a word, wearying for a reconciliation and yetnourishing angry pride. When speech appeared to be demanded between us'twas of the most formal. Faith, I think we were liker a pair of spoiltchildren than sensible grown folks.
While we were still in the northern counties rumours began to reach usthat General Cope's army had been cut to pieces by the Highlanders. Thestories ran that not a single man had escaped, that the clans, twentythousand strong, were headed for England, that they were burning anddestroying as they advanced. Incredible reports of all kinds sprang out ofthe air, and the utmost alarm prevailed. The report of Cope's defeat wassoon verified. We met more than one redcoat speeding south on afoam-flecked weary steed, and it did not need the second sight to divinethat the dispatches they carried spoke loudly of disaster fallen and ofreinforcements needed.
After we had crossed the border parties of foraging Highlanders began toappear occasionally, but a word in the Gaelic from Hamish Gorm alwaysserved as a password for us. To make short, early in October we reachedthe Scottish capital, the formal relations which had been establishedbetween Miss Macleod and me continuing to the end of the journey.
There lived in Edinburgh an unmarried aunt of Aileen, a Miss Flora MacBeanby name, and at her house I left the girl while I went to notify herbrother of our arrival. I found him lodged in High Street near the oldFlesh-market Close. Malcolm Macleod was a fine manly fellow of about threeand thirty, lusty and well-proportioned, very tanned and ruddy. He had aquick lively eye and a firm good-humoured mouth. In brief, he was the verypicture of a frank open-hearted Highland gentleman, and in the gay Macleodtartan looked as gallant a figure of a soldier as one would wish to see.He greeted me with charming friendliness and expressed himself as deeplygratified for my care of his sister, offering again and again to puthimself at my service in any way I might desire.
We walked down the street together, and more than once a shot plumped atour feet, for the city was under fire from the Hanoverian garrison at thecastle. Everywhere the clansmen were in evidence. Barefooted andbarelegged Celts strutted about the city with their bonnets scrugged lowon their heads, the hair hanging wild over their eyes and the mattedbeards covering their faces. For the most part they were very ragged, andtanned exceedingly wherever the flesh took a peep through their outwornplaids. They ran about the streets in groups, looking in shop windows likechildren and talking their outlandish gibberish; then presently theirHighland pride would assert itself at the smile of some chance passer andwould send them swinging proudly off as though they had better things athome.
Out of a tobacco shop came Captain Donald Roy singing blithely,
"'Will ye play me fair, Highland laddie, Highland laddie?'"
He was of course in the full Macdonald tartan regimentals--checkered kilt,sporran, plaid, a brace of pistols, a dirk in his stocking, and claymore.At sight of me his face lighted and he came running forward with bothhands outstretched.
"And is it you at last, Kenn? Man, but I've been wearying for a sight ofyour honest face. I was whiles thinking you must have given us the go-by.Fegs, but it's a braw day and a sight guid for sair een to see you, lad.You will have heard how we gave Johnnie Cope his kail through his reek."He broke off to hum:--
"'Now Johnnie, troth, ye werena blate, to come wi' the news o' your ain,And leave your men in sic a strait, so early in the morning.'
"And did you bring my kinswoman back safe with you? I'se wad ye found thejourney no' ower lang;" and he cocked a merry eye at me.
I flushed, and introduced him to Major Macleod, who took occasion to thankhim for his services to his sister. They fell into a liking for each otherat once. When the major was called aside by one of his gillies a momentlater, Macdonald expressed his trust of the other in the old Scotchsaying,
"Yon's a man to ride the water wi', Kenneth."
A curious sight illustrative of the Highland way of "lifting" what tooktheir fancy occurred as we were all three walking toward the house ofMacleod's aunt. Three shag-headed gillies in the tattered Cameron tartandragged an innkeeper from his taproom and set him down squat on thecauseway. Without even a by-your-leave they took from his feet a pair ofnew shoes with silver buckles. He protested that he was a loyal Jacobite.
"Sae muckle ta better. She'll no' grumble to shange a progue for thePrince's guid," one of the caterans answered cheerfully by way ofcomfort.
To my surprise the two Highland gentlemen watched this high-handedproceeding with much amusement, enjoying not a little the ridiculousfigure cut by the frightened, sputtering host. I asked them if they werenot going to interfere.
"What for would we do that at all events?" asked the Macdonald. "Man,Montagu, but you whiles have unco queer notions for so wise a lad. It's asnatural for a Hielander to despoil a Southron as for a goose to gangbarefit. What would Lochiel think gin we fashed wi' his clansmen at theirploy? Na, na! I wad be sweir to be sae upsitten (impertinent). It wadna betellin' a Macdonald, I'm thinkin'."
Aileen was so prettily glad to see her brother and so friendly with DonaldRoy, so full of gay chatter and eager reminiscence, that I felt myselfquite dashed by the note of reserve which crept into her voice and hermanner whenever she found it incumbent to speak to me. Her laugh would beringing clear as the echo of steel in frost, and when Donald lugged meinto the talk she would fall mim as a schoolgirl under the eye of hergoverness. Faith, you would have thought me her dearest enemy, instead ofthe man that had risked life for her more than once. Here is a prettygratitude, I would say to myself in a rage, hugging my anger with the babythought that she would some day scourge herself for this after I werekilled in battle. Here is a fine return for loyal service rendered, andthe front of my offending is nothing more than the saluting an oldplaymate.
"Man, Kenneth, but you hae played the cuddie brawly," was Donald'scomforting remark to me after we had left. "You maun hae made an awfu'bauchle of it. When last I saw the lady she hoisted a fine colour when Idaffed about you, and now she glowers at you in a no' just friendly way."
I admitted sadly that 'twas so and told him the reason, for Donald Roy hada wide observation of life and a varied experience with the sex that madehim a valuable counsellor. The situation amused him hugely, but what hecould find of humour in it was more than I could see.
"Deil hae't, but yon quean Antoinette will be a geyan ettercap (madcap).Tony Creagh has been telling me about her; he's just a wee thingie touchedthere himsel'."
"Pardon me," I interrupted a little stiffly, "but I think I did not givethe name of the lady."
The Highlander looked at me dryly with a pawky smile.
"Hoots, man! I ken that fine, but I'm no a fule. You named over the partyand I picked the lady that suited the speceefications." Then he began tochuckle: "I wad hae liked dooms weel to hae seen you stravaiging(wandering) through the grosset (gooseberry) bushes after the lass."
I
told him huffily that if that was all he could say I had better havekept the story to myself. I had come for advice, not to be laughed at.Donald flashed his winsome smile and linked an arm in mine.
"Well then, and here's advice for you, man. Jouk (duck) and let the jaw(wave) go by. Gin it were me the colder she were the better I wad like it.Dinna you see that the lass rages because she likes you fine; and sinceshe's a Hieland maid brought up under the blue lift she hasna learnt tohate and smile in the same breath."
"I make neither head nor tail of your riddles," I told him impatiently."By your way of it so far as I can make out she both likes and hates me.Now how can that be?"
Captain Macdonald's droll eye appeared to pity me. "Kenneth, bairn, butyou're an awfu' ignoramus. You ken naething ava about the lassies. I'mwondering what they learnt you at Oxford. Gin it's the same to you we'lltalk of something mair within your comprehension." And thereupon hediverted the conversation to the impending invasion of England by theHighland army. Presently I asked him what he thought of the Prince nowthat he had been given a chance to study the Young Chevalier at closerrange, and I shall never forget the eager Highlander's enthusiasticanswer.
"From the head to the heel of him he is a son of Kings, kind-hearted,gallant, modest. He takes all hearts by storm. Our Highland laddie is thebravest man I ever saw, not to be rash, and the most cautious, not to be acoward. But you will be judging for yourself when you are presented at theball on Tuesday."
I told him that as yet I had no invitation to the ball.
"That's easy seen to. The Chevalier O'Sullivan makes out the list. I'lldrop a flea in his lug (ear)."
Next day was Sunday, and I arrayed myself with great care to attend thechurch at which one Macvicar preached; to be frank I didn't care a flip ofmy fingers what the doctrine was he preached; but I had adroitly wormedout of Miss MacBean that he was the pastor under whom she sat. Creaghcalled on me before I had set out, and I dragged him with me, heprotesting much at my unwonted devotion.
I dare say he understood it better when he saw my eyes glued to the pewwhere Miss Aileen sat with her aunt in devout attention. What the sermonwas to have been about we never knew, on account of an interruption whichprevented us from hearing it. During the long prayer I was comfortablywatching the back of Aileen's head and the quarter profile of her facewhen Creagh nudged me. I turned to find him looking at me out of a verycomical face, and this was the reason for it. The hardy Macvicar waspraying for the Hanoverians and their cause.
"Bless the King," he was saying boldly. "Thou knows what King I mean-- Maythe crown sit easy on his head for lang. And for the young man that iscome among us to seek an earthly crown, we beseech Thee in mercy to takehim to Thyself, and give him a crown of glory."
One could have heard a pin fall in the hush, and then the tense rustlethat swept over the church and drowned the steady low voice that neverfaltered in the prayer.
"Egad, there's a hit for the Prince straight from the shoulder," chuckledthe Irishman by my side. "Faith, the Jacks are leaving the church to theWhigs. There goes the Major, Miss Macleod, and her aunt."
He was right. The prayer had ended and the Macleod party were sailing downthe aisle. Others followed suit, and presently we joined the stream thatpoured out of the building to show their disapproval. 'Tis an ill windthat blows nobody good. Miss MacBean invited Creagh and me to join them indinner, and methought that my goddess of disdain was the least thingwarmer to me than she had been in weeks. For the rest of the day I trod onair.