CHAPTER XXIII
WHICH WAY TO FOLLOW?
I must admit that in the conduct of this affair Lord Fylingdale showedboth coolness and resolution.
The news that the heiress of Lynn had been abducted spread immediatelythrough the rooms; the whole company flocked to the doors, where LordFylingdale stood, calm and without passion, while beside him the oldcaptain stamped and cursed the villains unknown.
He called Molly's chairmen. What had those fellows seen? They saidthat they were waiting by order; that another chair stood before themat the door, the bearers of which were strangers to them, a fact whichat this crowded season occurred constantly; that a gentleman whosename they knew not, but whom they had seen in the streets and at theassembly, mostly drunk, had come out hastily and spoken to thesechairmen; that his lordship himself had handed the lady into the chairand closed the doors, to their astonishment, because they werethemselves waiting for the lady; and that the chair was carried offinstantly, leaving them in bewilderment, not knowing what to do.
He asked them, next, for a closer description of the gentleman. He wasyoung, it appeared; he was red in the face; he looked masterful; hecursed the chairmen in a very free and noble manner; one of thechairmen gave him his sword to wear, which is not permitted in theassembly; he was swearing all the time as if in great wrath.
"My lord," a gentleman interrupted, "the description fits Tom Rising."
"Has Mr. Rising been seen in the assembly this evening?"
"He was not only here, but he danced with the lady."
"Is he here now? Let some one look for Mr. Rising."
There was no need to look for him, because the rooms--even the cardroom--was now empty, all the people being crowded about the doors.
"Where does he lodge? Let some one go to his lodgings."
"With submission, my lord," said another. "It is not at his lodgingsthat he will be found. After the assembly, he goes to the 'RoseTavern,' where he drinks all night."
"Let some one go to the 'Rose Tavern,' then, and quickly. CaptainCrowle, we will go to the 'Crown' while inquiries are made. Gentlemen,there is great suspicion that an abominable crime hath been committed,and that this young lady hath been forcibly carried away for the sakeof her fortune. I take blame to myself for not making sure that I wasplacing her in her own chair. This is my business. But I ask your helpfor the honour of the spa and the company."
A dozen gentlemen stepped forward and offered their help and theirswords, if necessary. Among them was Colonel Lanyon.
"Come, then. Let us adjourn to the 'Crown' and make inquiries. Be ofgood cheer, captain. We will find out which way they took. If theyhave nothing but the chair to carry her away we can easily catch themup."
"I know my girl," said the captain. "It is not one man who can daunther, nor will a dozen men force her to marry against her will. If theytry there will be murder."
"If we cannot find the way they took, we must scour the country."
At the gates of the garden they learned that the keeper had seen thechair go out, and observed that it was closely followed by a gentlemanwhom he could only describe by his height, which was taller than theaverage. Now, Tom Rising was six feet at least.
At the "Crown," in Lord Fylingdale's room, they held a briefconsultation, after which the gentlemen who had volunteered their helpwent out into the town to make inquiries.
In a few minutes they began to return. It was ascertained that TomRising was not at his lodging; nor was he at the "Rose Tavern"; norcould he be found at any of the taverns used by gentlemen; thisstrengthened the suspicion against him. Then one remembered thestrange words of the Tuesday night, in which Tom Rising had promisedhis friends that he would, before the week was done, be the richestman in the county; rich enough to play with them until he had strippedevery man as bare as Adam. Those words were taken as mere drunkenravings. But now they seemed to have had a meaning. Where was TomRising?
Another discovery was that of the two men belonging to the chair inwhich Molly was carried off. They were found in one of the low tavernsby the riverside, drinking. One of them was already too far gone tospeak. The other, with a stronger head, was able to give information,which he was quite ready to do. A gentleman, he said, had engaged thechair, and had given them a guinea to drink if they would suffer himto find his own chairmen. His description of the gentlemancorresponded with that already furnished. He spoke of a tall gentlemanwith a flushed face and rough manner of speech. He knew nothing more,except that two men, strangers to himself, had taken the chair andcarried it off.
"Gentlemen," said his lordship, "there can be, I fear, no doubt theabduction of Miss Molly has been designed and attempted by Mr. Rising.Fortunately, he cannot have gone very far. It remains for us to findthe road which he has taken."
They fell to considering the various roads which lead out of the town.There is the high road to Ely, Cambridge, and London; but to carry achair with an unwilling lady in it on the high road, frequented bynight as well as by day with travellers of all kinds and strings ofpack horses, would be ridiculous. There was the road which led to thevillages on the east side of the Wash; there was also the road toSwaffham and Norwich; another was also the road to Hunstanton.
"I am of opinion," said one of the gentlemen, "that he has fixed onsome lonely place not far from Lynn, where he could make her aprisoner until she complies with his purpose and consents to marryhim."
Captain Crowle shook his head. "She would never consent," he repeated."My girl is almost as strong as any man, and quite as resolute. Therewill be murder if this villain attempts violence."
Just then the landlady of the "Crown" threw open the door and burstin. "Oh, gentlemen, gentlemen!" she cried, "I have found out wherethey are gone. Ride after them. Ride after them quick, before worsemischief is done. I have ordered all the horses in the stables to besaddled. There are eight. Quick! gentlemen, for the love of the Lord,ride after them."
"Quick! Quick!" said his lordship.
"Where are they? Where are they?" The captain sprang up.
"They are on their way. They cannot be there yet."
"But where? Where?"
"Mr. Rising ordered a post-chaise to wait for him at ten o'clock."
"He left the gardens," said his lordship, "about that time. Go on."
"He ordered it at the Duke's Head. The postboy told the ostler hisorders. He was to wait for Mr. Rising at 'The Travellers' Rest,' atRiffley Spring, on the way to Wootton."
"'The Travellers' Rest'? What kind of place is that?"
"It is a bad place, my lord--a villainous place--on a lonely road upand down which there is little travelling. It is a resort of pedlars,tinkers, and the like--gipsies, vagabonds, footpads, and rogues. It isno place for a young lady."
"It is not, indeed," said one of the gentlemen.
"Gentlemen," the landlady repeated, "ride after him! Ride after them!Oh! the sweet Miss Molly!"
"Are the horses ready?"
"They will be ready in a minute."
"Gentlemen, there are, you hear, eight horses. Captain Crowle willtake one, I will take another. The remaining six are at your disposal.I shall feel honoured if you will accompany me; but on one condition,if you will allow me to make a condition. The man will fight, Isuppose?"
"Tom Rising," one of them replied, "would fight the devil."
"One could desire nothing better. The condition is that when weovertake Mr. Rising you will leave him to me. That is understood?"
"My lord, we cannot, by your leave, allow your valuable life to be atthe hazard of a duel with a man both desperate and reckless."
"I shall take care of myself, I assure you. Meantime, if I fall I nameColonel Lanyon to succeed me, and after him, should he, too, unhappilyfall, you will yourselves name his successor. Gentlemen, we mustrescue the lady and we must punish the abductor. I hear the horses.Come."