Part 44 (1/2)
”It is my Marion's misfortune, not her fault, that she is so allied,”
replied Ormsby. ”I love her, and she loves me, and we will not be parted.”
Mr Daveney's mind felt somewhat lightened of its weight of anxiety on seeing his old friend Sir Adrian Fairfax. He did not believe, for an instant, that, by any circ.u.mstances, Lyle could be absolved from punishment; but a vague hope filled his breast that the convict's life would be spared. Stern and cold and unfeeling as Sir John Manvers had been in his communications with him, the mild-tempered Daveney experienced the deepest compa.s.sion towards the father of such a son.
But what if he had known that that son was the legitimate first-born of the baronet?
And how had Sir John received the fatal news that his ill-starred son Jasper was a fettered prisoner within a few hundred yards of his own marquee?
On the day after hearing who this Lee really was, he had sent for Colonel Graham, who stood next in command, and desired that whenever the convict should be brought into the encampment, Colonel Graham should be ready to receive him, without reference to the higher authority. He dreaded lest a panic should seize him on suddenly hearing of Jasper's unwelcome approach.
Accustomed to his cold manner, his aide-de-camp had, on the convict's arrival, placed before Sir John the doc.u.ment from Colonel Graham reporting the outlaw's capture.
”You may go, sir,” said Sir John, on receiving this dire intelligence; and he did not lift the paper, on which he recognised the handwriting, until the canvas screen dropped between him and the young officer.
He opened it and tried to read it through; the letters swam before his eyes, they turned blood-red, they blazed like characters of fire, the paper fell to the ground, and for the first time in his life the strong man fainted away.
A very few minutes sufficed for the hasty review Sir Adrian took of the a.s.sembled forces, and profiting by Colonel Graham's offer of his marquee, he retired thither, and sent at once for Mr Daveney.
Frankfort, who, with the General, awaited the Commissioner, wrung the hand of his friend in silence, and all four entering the tent, where some refreshment had been hastily spread, Colonel Graham informed Sir Adrian of the apprehension of the rebel convict.
Frankfort was a stranger to the old colonel, who was fortunately too much occupied with matters of duty to notice the death-like hue which suddenly overspread the young man's face. At a signal from Sir Adrian, Mr Daveney drew Frankfort into the air, but he turned from the sight of the busy camp. At this moment the Commissioner's attention was attracted towards a little cavalcade of a couple of wagons drawn by mules, and attended by a mounted escort of one of the town levies: it pa.s.sed the guard-house, and was directed by a soldier to the dwelling of Mr Trail.
Anon, a messenger hastened across the square, and announced the arrival of Lady Amabel Fairfax. The messenger was fortunately Ormsby, who knew by Frankfort's expression of horror and surprise, that he had learned the tidings of the day. Daveney hurried off; neither of the young men spoke. They strode on till a thicket shut the camp from their sight, and, descending a bank, cast themselves on the turf.
”Where is Eleanor?” asked Frankfort.
”Do you see those willows?” said Ormsby, pointing up the little rivulet; ”the tops of them wave just below her window. She has been almost dead, but is better and more resigned, for she thinks--”
”That he is still dead?” said Frankfort; and, in the bitterness of his heart, he added, ”Would to Heaven he were!” The next moment he prayed G.o.d to forgive him, and, burying his face in his hands, groaned aloud.
”She believes,” replied Ormsby, ”that he has again escaped.”
”Lady Amabel arrived!” exclaimed Sir Adrian, in great surprise, as Mr Trail entered Colonel Graham's tent with the information.
”Arrived--impossible! have you seen her?”
”I have, sir.”
”Now, then, thank Heaven,” said Sir Adrian! ”had I known yesterday that my wife was travelling, I should have been less able for the work I had before me. Mr Trail, it may be well to inform you that, in spite of this calm, which apparently pervades the whole of Kafirland, the Gaika warriors are a.s.sembling in the mountains, and my trusty Fingoes have warned me that they are meditating an attack on the camp. I have long had the idea that Sir John Manvers was not so prepared for mischief as myself and I hastened hither; but I have distributed my forces I hope advantageously; and although we may not keep the enemy out altogether, we may check his advance, and meet it with caution. It is time that I conferred with Sir John: it is strange that I should have received no message from him.”
The three gentlemen left the marquee. Colonel Graham bent his way to the tents of his regiment; the other two directed their steps to the canvas pavilion. A military surgeon met them at the door--dismay was painted on his face.
General Manvers lay as dead upon his camp bedstead--his jaw dropped, his cheek sunken, his eyes glaring and fixed. He had been found in this state by his servant. The doc.u.ment relative to Lyle was crushed between his fingers.
While Sir Adrian stood beside this rigid object of despair, the eyelids quivered, a faint sigh stole from the blue parted lips, and some low words were breathed, not uttered, but Sir Adrian distinguished them.
”My son! my son!--my first-born! Save my miserable son Jasper!”
The sudden surprise of seeing Sir Adrian Fairfax caused the unfortunate man to start up; he was bewildered--looked first at one, and then at the other, of the two kind men who leaned over him. The surgeon was utterly in the dark as to the cause of this sudden seizure.
Greatly disturbed at what he saw, deeply anxious about his wife, and keenly alive to the responsibilities of his command, Sir Adrian was anxious to withdraw, but Sir John held him firmly by the hand.