Part 14 (1/2)
”No fear!” replied he, dryly. ”I knelt in church with brother James but yesterday.”
”In sooth, quite true!” said Nell, approvingly, as she leaned back against the door and raised her eyes innocently toward the moon. ”I sat in the next pew, Sire, afraid to move for fear I might awake your Majesty.”
The King chuckled softly to himself. Nell picked one of the flowers that grew upon the bal.u.s.trade.
”Ah, you come a long-forgotten path to-night,” she said abruptly.
The King was alert in an instant. He felt that he had placed himself in a false light. He loved the witch above despite himself.
”I saw thee twa evenings ago, la.s.s,” he hastily a.s.serted, in good Scotch accents, somewhat impatiently.
”And is not that a long time, Sire,” questioned Nell, ”or did Portsmouth make it fly?”
”Portsmouth!” exclaimed Charles. He turned his face away. ”Can it be my conscience p.r.i.c.ks me?” he thought. ”You know more of her than I, sweet Nell,” he then a.s.serted, with open manner.
”Marry, I know her not at all and never saw her,” said Nell. ”I shall feel better when I do,” she thought.
”It were well for England's peace you have not met,” laughed Charles.
”Faith and troth,” said Nell, ”I am happy to know our King has lost his heart.”
”Odso! And why?” asked Charles; and he gazed at Nell in his curious uncertain way, as he thought it was never possible to tell quite what she meant or what she next would think or say or do.
”We feared he had not one to lose,” she slyly suggested. ”It gives us hope.”
”To have it in another's hand as you allege?” asked Charles.
”Marry, truly!” answered Nell, decisively. ”The d.u.c.h.ess may find it more than she can hold and toss it over.”
”How now, wench!” exclaimed the King, with a.s.sumption of wounded dignity. ”My heart a ball for women to bat about!”
”Sire, two women often play at rackets even with a king's heart,” softly suggested Nell.
”Odsfish,” cried the King, with hands and eyes raised in mock supplication. ”Heaven help me then.”
Again the hunters' horn rang clearly on the night.
”The horn! The horn!” said Nell, with forced indifference. ”They call you, Sire.”
There was a triumphantly bewitching look in her eyes, however, as she realized the discomfiture of the King. He was annoyed, indeed. His manner plainly betokened his desire to stay and his irritation at the interruption.
”'Tis so!” he said at last, resignedly. ”The King is lost.”
The horn sounded clearer. The hunters were returning.
”Again--nearer!” exclaimed Charles, fretfully. His mind reverted to his pious brother; and he laughed as he continued: ”Poor brother James and his ostriches!”
He could almost touch Nell's finger-tips.
”Farewell, sweet,” he said; ”I must help them find his Majesty or they will swarm here like bees. Yet I must see my Nell again to-night. You have bewitched me, wench. Sup with me within the hour--at--Ye Blue Boar Inn. Can you find the place?”