Part 40 (1/2)
”Adair's sides are aching,” she chuckled, in apparent convulsions of sorrow. ”He's laughing through Nell's tears.”
Meanwhile, Moll had been standing by the window; and, though she was watching eagerly the exciting scene within the room, she could not fail to note the sound of galloping horses and the rattling of a heavy coach on the roadway without.
”A coach and six at break-neck speed,” she cried, ”have landed at the door. A cavalier alights.”
”Time some one arrived,” thought Nell, as she glanced at herself in the mirror, to see that Adair was well hidden, and to arrange her curls, to bewitch the new arrivals, whosoever they might be.
As the cavalier dashed up the path, in the moonlight, Moll recognized the Duke of Buckingham, and at once announced his name.
”Ods-pitikins!” exclaimed Charles, angrily. ”No leisure for Buckingham now. We have other business.”
He had scarce spoken, however, when Buckingham, unceremoniously and almost breathless, entered the room.
”How now?” cried the King, fiercely, as the Duke fell on his knee before him; for his temper had been wrought to a high pitch.
”Pardon, your Majesty,” besought his lords.h.i.+p, in nervous accents. ”My mission will excuse my haste and interruption. Your ear I crave one moment. Sire, I am told Nell has to-night secreted in this house a lover!”
”Another one!” whispered Nell to Moll.
”'Tis hearsay,” cried the King, now at fever-heat, ”the give-and-take of gossips! I'll none of it.”
”My witness, Sire!” answered Buckingham.
He turned toward the door; and there, to the astonishment of all, stood the d.u.c.h.ess of Portsmouth, who had followed him from the coach, a lace mantilla, caught up in her excitement, protecting her shapely shoulders and head.
As the a.s.sembled courtiers looked upon the beautiful rivals, standing, as they did, face to face before the King, and realized the situation, their faces grew grave, indeed.
The suspense became intense.
”The day of reckoning's come,” thought Nell, as she met with burning glances the d.u.c.h.ess's eyes.
”Speak, your grace,” exhorted Buckingham. ”The King attends you.”
”Nay, before all, my lord?” protested Portsmouth, with pretended delicacy. ”I could not do Madame Gwyn so much injustice.”
”If your speech concerns me,” observed Nell, mildly, ”out with it boldly. My friends will consider the source.”
”Speak, and quickly!” commanded Charles.
”I would rather lose my tongue,” still protested the d.u.c.h.ess, ”than speak such words of any one; but my duty to your Majesty--”
”No preludes,” interrupted the King; and he meant it, too. He was done with trifling, and the d.u.c.h.ess saw it.
”My servants,” she said, with a virtuous look, ”pa.s.sing this abode by chance, this very night, saw at a questionable hour a strange cavalier entering the boudoir of Madame Gwyn!”
”She would make my honour the price of her revenge,” thought Nell, her eyes flas.h.i.+ng. ”She shall rue those words, or Adair's head and mine are one for naught.”
”What say you to this, Nell?” asked the King, the words choking in his throat.
”Sire,--I--I--” answered Nell, evasively. ”There's some mistake or knavery!”