The Heir of Kilfinnan: A Tale of the Shore and Ocean

  CHAPTER THREE.

  The widow and her son devoted the next day to an active supervision oftheir nets. In the evening a gentle westerly breeze, which had broughtin their boat safely to shore, was still blowing, and Dermot havingprepared the fish for the next day's market, ascended to the downs abovethe cottage. As he gazed over the ocean, he saw under all sail,standing in for the shore, a beautiful ship. She had royals set, andstudding-sails below and aloft on either side. It was evident shewished to come to an anchor before dark, and he concluded from thecourse she was steering, that she proposed bringing up in the bay, areef extending out, on the north side of it, affording her sufficientshelter from the wind then blowing. Dermot watched the ship withintense interest. The masts seemed so tall, the canvas so white, andthe yards extending so far on either side. On she came like a gracefulswan, gliding over the azure bosom of the deep, surrounded as it werewith the golden rays of the setting sun playing over the water in whichshe floated. Dermot had not believed that any vessel so beautiful wasto be found on the ocean. She seemed so graceful, so fairy-like. Asshe drew nearer her sides appeared highly polished, and all about herwore an air of perfect order. A distant strain of music reached his earfrom the deck. On a sudden men were seen swarming up her rigging.Every yard was covered. Now the studding-sails came in as if by magic.The royals and the topgallant sails were handed, the topsails werefurled, the courses brailed up, and in a few seconds she was under barepoles, when her anchor was let go with a loud rattling sound in thesecurest part of the bay, showing that those on board were wellacquainted with the coast.

  As he looked down on the gallant frigate, for such she was, Dermot'sadmiration increased more and more. He could not help wishing to be onboard so fine a craft, and he determined to take the first opportunityof visiting her.

  On his return to the hut, he told his mother of the arrival of thefrigate.

  "She comes as a friend, I hope," remarked the widow; "it is not manyyears ago that I have seen vessels in this bay, which came with verydifferent intentions."

  No one was seen, however, to land from the strange frigate, but thewidow, on further consideration, resolved to pay a visit on board, inthe hopes of disposing of the fish they had just caught, calculatingthat a further supply might be obtained for the castle the followingday.

  Dermot was glad of an excuse for going on board: as it was now too lateto visit her, it was arranged that they should go off the first thing onthe following morning. Although he and his mother could manage the boatby themselves, he did not know how she might be received on board; hetherefore invited his Uncle Shane to accompany them, advising him tocarry a supply of his own fish for sale.

  Early the next morning the boat was alongside the frigate. The vendorsof fish are generally welcomed by men-of-war's-men, and they veryquickly disposed of all they possessed; the only complaint of thesailors being, that they had not brought off enough vegetables and otherfresh productions.

  Dermot was invited on board, and as he showed his curiosity in all hesaw, he was allowed to go over the whole of the ship. Great was hiswonder as he examined her polished guns, the decks, white as snow, onebelow the other, the ropes on the upper deck so beautifully flemisheddown. The men were at breakfast, between decks. The tin mess utensilswere spread out before them. Dermot was shown how the hammocks werehung up at night, and where they were stowed in the hammock-nettings inthe day time. He gazed aloft at the symmetrical yards and ropes, andwondered at the perfect order which reigned around; so different to whathe had been accustomed to in the small fishing-vessels and coasters, theonly craft with which he was acquainted.

  "Would you like to come to sea, lad?" said a rough sailor, putting hishand on Dermot's shoulder; "you would make an active young topman in afew years. There's something in you, I see. What do you say? Will youship aboard us? I can answer for it you would get a berth, for ourcaptain likes such as you."

  Dermot was pleased with the compliment paid him, though uttered in arough way.

  "Ah! if I had my heart's wish, I would do as you say," he answered; "butthere's one I cannot leave, and I do not think you would if you were inmy place."

  "Who's that?" asked the sailor.

  "My mother, I am her only child," answered Dermot.

  "I ran away from my mother, and yet I was her only son," replied thesailor, as he dashed a tear from his eye. "No, boy, I am not one toadvise you to do as I did. I know not whether she is alive or dead, fornever from that day to this, have I had the chance of returning home."

  The widow was highly pleased with the transactions on board, forwhatever spice of romance there was in her, she never forgot theimportance of making a good bargain for her fish. Shane was delighted,and undertook to return on board the next day.

  Another successful expedition enabled Dermot to carry a supply of fishto Mrs Rafferty at the castle. His modesty induced him to enter by theback way, and on asking for her, after waiting some time, he was told hemight go and see her in her room. The good lady told him that sheexpected the family every instant, and would take all the fish he hadbrought. Dermot hurried away, fearful that they might arrive while hewas in the castle, and that he might lose the opportunity of seeingthem. He sat himself down by the side of the road which the carriagesmust pass, in the hopes of gaining a glimpse of the lady who had takenhis portrait, as well as of the fair little girl her companion. Hethought very little of the rest of the party. At length, after waitingsome time, his patience was rewarded by seeing the carriages approach.Not only were the ladies there, but they both saw him, and Lady Noragave a half-nod of recognition, and then turned to her companion, as ifto speak about him. Dermot would gladly have found any excuse forreturning to the castle, but as this was impossible, he hurried home,hoping to be able to visit it the next day with a further supply offish. On his way he saw a boat pulling rapidly from the frigate towardsthe landing-place under the castle walls. In her stern-sheets sat anofficer, who by the gold epaulets on his shoulders and his cocked hat,he naturally concluded was the captain. Poor Dermot had very littlechance after this of attracting the attention of Lady Sophy. The boatreached the shore, when the captain sprang out, and hurried up to thecastle. He was received with great courtesy and respect by the Earl andhis guests.

  "You are indeed welcome, Falkner!" exclaimed the Earl, cordially shakinghim by the hand, "we little expected having the pleasure of seeing you.What fortunate chance brings you into our bay?"

  "We received information that there was some idea of a rising in thispart of the country, and I was ordered to cruise off the coast,"answered the captain of the frigate. "Hearing also that you were aboutto return to Kilfinnan Castle, as it was in the way of duty, I took theopportunity of coming into the bay to visit you, and at the same time tomake inquiries as to the truth of the report."

  "You are very welcome, Captain Falkner, and we are very happy to seeyou," said the Earl, casting a significant glance towards Lady Sophy;"as to the rising, I rather think the Government has been misled;however, it is as well to be prepared, and the appearance of the frigateon the coast may prevent the people from committing any act of folly."

  "I hope so, indeed," said Captain Falkner; "for the blood of too many ofthe misguided people has been shed already. They may bring much miseryand suffering on themselves, and they may do a great deal of mischief inthe country, but while England's fleet and England's army remainfaithful, their wild schemes have not the remotest prospect of success."

  "No, indeed!" answered the Earl, in a somewhat scornful tone, "unlessmen of character and true bravery were to lead them, they will always bedefeated as they have hitherto been. For my own part I have not theslightest fear on the subject. However, I repeat that I am not sorrythat any excuse should have brought you into our bay."

  Captain Falkner after this received the welcome of the rest of theguests, with most of whom he was acquainted.

  Lady Sophy blushed as she held out her hand, and the gallant captaintook it wi
th a look which showed there was a perfect understandingbetween them. He had already obtained a name which gave him rank amongthe bravest of England's naval heroes. They before long found an excusefor walking out together on a beautiful terrace, which extended underthe cliffs, beyond the castle to the south. The conversation need notbe repeated, it was very evident, however, that Captain Falkner was anaccepted suitor of Lady Sophy's, although there were some impediments totheir immediate union.

  He told her that he expected to be on the coast for some time, for hestill believed, in spite of the Earl's assertions, that there was aconsiderable number of persons disaffected in that part of the country,who would be induced to rise, should a leader make his appearance amongthem.

  "Although I may sail away for a few days at a time, I shall constantlybe on the watch, and the thought that you may be placed in danger, willcertainly not make me the less vigilant," he observed, pressing LadySophy's hand.

  "But suppose you were to hear there would be a rising in this place, andanother at some distance, to which would you then go?" asked Lady Sophy."Would it not place you in a difficulty?"

  "I tell you frankly, I would endeavour to forget in which place youwere, and should steer for the one in which I believed my services weremost imperatively demanded."

  "Yes, I am sure you would act thus," she answered, casting on him a lookof admiration and affection. "I do not value your love the less on thataccount, believe me."

  Captain Falkner had to return on board in the evening, but promised tovisit the castle next day.

  He arrived just as Dermot made his appearance with a basket of fish.

  "Oh! that is the boy whose portrait you were admiring so much, CaptainFalkner," said Lady Sophy, pointing to Dermot as he was passing thehall-door.

  "Come in, boy," said another lady; "we wish to see if your portrait hasdone you justice."

  Dermot entered in his usual fearless manner, carrying his basket offish. The portrait was produced, and another lady insisted that heshould remain until she had taken a sketch of him for herself.

  "By-the-bye," said the Earl, "have you got any good by going to theminister, boy?"

  "Yes, indeed I have, sir," said Dermot warmly, "there is many a book Ihave learned to read, and though I found writing more hard, I am able tocopy whatever Mr Jamieson gives me, and while he reads I can writeafter him. And there is history and geography and many more things hehas taught me."

  "Ah, I must go over and thank him," said the Earl. "And do you wish,boy, to continue under his instruction?"

  "Indeed I do, sir," answered Dermot.

  "Oh, but we were teaching you," exclaimed Lady Nora, who had just thencome into the hall. "You must come and let Lady Sophy and me give youlessons as we did before."

  "Indeed I am honoured, ladies," answered Dermot, with an air which nonebut an Irish boy, even of much higher rank, could have assumed."Although I am grateful to the minister for all he has taught me, Ishould be thankful to receive further lessons from you."

  The Earl was somewhat amused at the thoughts of his little daughtergiving instruction to the young fisher-boy. At the same time,good-natured and thoughtless, he made not the slightest objection.Indeed he never thwarted Nora in anything she had taken it into her headto wish for, and certainly he was not likely to do so in a matter sotrifling as this.

  Dermot appeared, as he had been invited, to receive his lessons, but wassomewhat surprised to find that Lady Nora was scarcely as advanced insome branches of knowledge as himself.

  "Indeed you have made great progress," said Lady Sophy, who hadundertaken to be the chief instructress. "If you persevere you willsoon become as well educated as most young gentlemen of the day. I amacquainted with several, indeed, who don't know as much as you do."

  These remarks encouraged Dermot to persevere, even with moredetermination than before. Every moment he could spare from his duties,he was now engaged in reading.

  His poor mother looked on with astonishment that her boy should thusbecome so learned, and more than once it entered into her mind that itwas a pity she had not allowed him to follow Father O'Rourke'ssuggestion, and become a priest. "He would have been a bishop to acertainty," she exclaimed to herself--"and only think to be a holybishop, certain of heaven. What a great man he would have been made, acardinal, and that he would have been, if His Holiness the Pope had everbecome acquainted with him. I wonder now if it's too late, but I'mafraid after what he said to Father O'Rourke that his Reverence willnever give him a helping hand."

  Such and similar thoughts frequently passed through the mind of the poorwidow. More than once she ventured to broach the subject to her son,but he shook his head with a look of disgust.

  "If I am ever to be otherwise than what I am, I hope never to becomelike Father O'Rourke. No, no, mother I have other thoughts, and do not,I pray you, ever ask me again to become a priest."

  The next visit Dermot paid to the castle, he was detained longer thanusual by another lady insisting on taking his portrait. His feelingsrather rebelled against this. He had been flattered when Lady Sophy hadfirst taken it, but he did not much like the idea of being made a figurefor the exercise of other fair artists' pencils, still his naturalfeelings of politeness prevented him from showing the annoyance he felt.

  While the lady was proceeding with her work, he gathered from theconversation around him that some one of importance was expected at thecastle, and he at length made out that the young heir--Lord Fitz Barry--was looked for during the afternoon.

  Dermot had never seen him, for during the previous summer, he had notreturned home, having remained with his tutor in England. He found thatthe carriage had been sent for the young Lord to the neighbouring town.

  As soon as the ladies dismissed him, Dermot took his way along the roadby which he would reach the castle.

  He had not long to wait before he saw an open carriage with the Earl init, and by his side a young boy bearing a strong resemblance to LadyNora.

  There were the same blue eyes and the fair complexion and rich auburnair possessed by his sister, at the same time there was a manly look andexpression in his countenance--boy as he was--which at once won Dermot'srespect.

  "Ah, he has the old blood of his family in his veins," thought Dermot,"and when he comes to man's estate, he'll prove, I hope, the samekind-hearted, honest man that his father is."

  Well pleased with his morning visit to the castle, Dermot returned tohis humble cottage. Did he ever draw a contrast between the two abodes?Yes, but he was not discontented with his lot. He loved his mother,and he knew that his mother loved him above all earthly things, and thatshe would not exchange him, even to dwell in that lordly castle. Still,as Dermot advanced in knowledge and in age, he could not helpdiscovering that his mother was ignorant and prone to superstition.Indeed with pain he sometimes suspected that her mind was not altogetherperfectly right. She would sit occasionally talking to herself, and nowand then speak of strange events which had passed in her youth, of whichshe would give no explanation. He, however, quickly banished thislatter idea, as too painful to be entertained. She loved him, what morecould he desire? When he was anxious about her, he reflected that shehad secured more than one friend in the neighbourhood. That his uncleShane was devoted to her, and that the kind Miss O'Reilly had promisedalways to watch over her.

  Many wild thoughts and schemes passed frequently through Dermot's mind.He dared not at first give utterance to them, not even to himself, andhe would have found it impossible to mention them to any human being.

  Mr Jamieson, more than once, had spoken to him of the future, andhinted that if the way was open to him, he would scarcely fail, with thetalents and application he possessed, of rising in life. It was verynatural in Mr Jamieson to think this, for he knew that a fisher-boy'sexistence on the west coast of Ireland was one of ill-requited toil, andof great danger. Holding this opinion, he felt that the boy would notchange for the worse, and would certainly improve his position inwhatever c
alling he might engage.