The Lady of the Mount. Isham Frederic Stewart
can understand caring for a ship!" he answered quickly, a flash of amusement, hardly concealed, in his bold, dark eyes.
"A ship!" scornfully; "dead wood and iron."
"Live wood and iron! Beautiful as – " The simile failed him; he looked at my lady. "Something to be depended on, with a hand to the wheel, and an eye keen for mad dancings and curvetings."
"I might appreciate them better," she interrupted dryly, with delicate brows uplifted, "an they brought me nearer to the Mount. That, and not idle opinions," in accents that conveyed surprise at the temerity of one in his position to express them, "is of most moment!"
He accepted the reproof with a readiness that further surprised her. "Your Ladyship is right," he said. "I will see what may be done. The storm has passed. There is yet daylight, and" – an expression, almost preoccupied, came to his features – "a boat may be sighted."
"To be sure!" At the prospect, all other considerations passed from my lady's mind. "A boat may be sighted! Why did you not think of it before? Come! Too much time has already been lost." And she rose.
"One moment!" His voice was quiet; respectful; although, she fancied, constrained. "I had better go alone. The way to the cliff is rough, and – "
"I shall not mind that!"
"Besides, your clothes – "
"Are dry!"
"No!" She flushed at the abrupt contradiction. "I mean, I don't see how they could be!" he went on hurriedly, "and," his tone assumed a certain obduracy, "I assure your Ladyship, it will be best."
"Best?" She looked at him more sharply. "Is that your only reason?"
"Why?" A trace of embarrassment, for an instant, crossed his dark features. "What other reason, my Lady?"
"That I know not!" quickly, assured her words had struck home. "Only I am certain there is one!"
"Then, if your Ladyship must know," he spoke slowly. "I did not wish to alarm you. But this is a rough coast, with – many rough people about – smugglers, privateersmen – "
"Whom you, perhaps, are expecting?" she cried suddenly.
"I!" with a careless laugh. "A fisherman! Your Ladyship is imaginative – " he began, when a sudden, hasty footstep clinked on the stones without; a hand caught at the fastenings of the door; flung it open.
"I thought I should find you here, Seigneur!" exclaimed a voice. "Since – "
The young man made a movement and the speaker stopped; caught sight of my lady, just beyond, in the fading light. And at the picture – her figure behind that other one – the fine, patrician features, framed by the disordered golden hair, the widely opened eyes, bright, expectant, the intruder started back.
"The Governor's daughter! You, Seigneur!" he stammered, and, raising his hand, involuntarily crossed himself.
CHAPTER IX
A DISCOVERY
"Why did you do that?" It was Lady Elise who now spoke, lifting her head haughtily to regard the new-comer, as she stepped toward him. "Cross yourself, I mean?"
"This good fellow, my Lady, is surprised to see you here, and small wonder he forgets his manners!" said the young man coolly, speaking for the other. "But he is honest enough – and – intends no disrespect!"
"None whatever!" muttered the intruder, a thin, wizened, yet still active-looking person.
My lady did not reply; her gaze, in which suspicion had become conviction, again met the young man's, whose black eyes now gleamed with a sudden, challenging light.
"With your permission, my Lady, I will speak with this fellow," he said, and abruptly strode from the tower; walked a short distance away, followed by the man, when he stopped.
"Certes, your tongue betrayed you that time, Sanchez!" he said confronting the other.
The man made a rough gesture. "C'est vrai!" regretfully. "But when I saw you two together I thought I had seen a – " He stopped. "She is so like – "
"Nay; I don't blame you; the sight was certainly unexpected! I had thought to come down and prepare you, but – 'tis done!"
"And I knew what it meant." The old servant looked over his shoulder toward the tower.
"Call it magic!" with a short laugh.
"Diablerie!" muttered the other.
"Well, have your way! Why," abruptly, "did you not meet me here last night at high tide, as we had planned?"
"The priest came not in time; fearing he was watched, waited until night to leave his hiding-place at Verranch."
"And after missing me last night, you thought to find me here to-day?"
"I knew you were most anxious to see him; that upon him depended your chance to undo some of his Excellency, the Governor's, knavery! And, then, to find you here with the daughter of the man who has wrought you so much wrong; robbed you of your lands – your right to your name!" A cloud shadowed the listener's bold brow. "I know not how it came about, Seigneur, but be assured, no good can come of it!"
From where she stood, at the distance to the tower, the Governor's daughter saw now the two men descend; she perceived, also, at a turn in the path, coming up slowly, as one whose years had begun to tell upon him, another figure, clad in black; a priest. This last person and the Black Seigneur accosted each other; stopped, while the other man, who had crossed himself at sight of her, drew aside. At length, somewhat abruptly, they separated, the priest and Sanchez going down the hill and the young man starting to walk up. Then quickly leaving the ancient, circular structure for observation, she stepped toward the cliff, not far to the right; and in an attitude of as great unconcern as she could summon, waited.
Below the ocean beat around the rock, and her eyes seemed to have rested an interminable period on the dark surface of the water, when at length she heard him; near at hand; directly behind. Still she did not stir; he, too, by the silence, stood motionless. How long? The little foot moved restlessly; why did he not speak? She knew he was looking at her – the Governor's daughter who had inadvertently looked into a forbidden chamber; was possessed of dangerous knowledge.
Again she made a movement. When was he going to speak? It was intolerable that he should stand there, studying, deducing! That she, accustomed to command; to be served; to have her way at court and Mount, should now be judged, passed upon, disposed of, by – whom? Quickly she looked around; the flashing brown eyes met the steady black ones.
"Well?"
"The man will take you back." His manner was quiet; composed; implied a full cognizance of what she knew, and an absence of any further desire to attempt to disguise the truth.
"Back! Where?" She could not conceal her surprise.
"To the Mount."
For the moment she did not speak; she had not known what to expect – certainly not that.
"Why not?" A smile, slightly forced, crossed his face. "Does your Ladyship think I make war on women? Only, before your Ladyship departs, it will be necessary for you to agree to a little condition."
"Condition?" She drew her breath quickly.
"That you will say nothing to incriminate him. He is an old servant of mine; has broken none of the laws of the land," with a somewhat contemptuous accent, "works his bit of ground; pays métayage, and a tax on all the fish he brings in. Only in a certain matter to-day has he served me."
"You mean I must say nothing about meeting him? You?"
"For his sake!"
"And your own!"
"Mine?" He made a careless gesture. "I should not presume! For myself I should exact, or expect, from your Ladyship no promise. To-night I shall be far away. But this good fellow remains behind; should be allowed to continue his peaceful, lowly occupation. I would not have anything happen to him on my account."
"And if I refuse to promise?" she asked haughtily. "To enter into any