Part 28 (1/2)
”I have an order from the Council, countersigned by the magistrates here, for the delivery to me of three prisoners.”
The warder showed him into a room.
”The governor is ill,” he said, ”and confined to his bed; but I will take the order to him.”
Ned was pleased with the news, for he thought it likely that Genet might have been there before on similar errands, and his person be known to the governor. In ten minutes the warder returned.
”The prisoners are without,” he said, ”and ready to depart.”
Pulling his bonnet well down over his eyes, Ned went out into the courtyard.
”You are to accompany me to Brussels, countess,” he said gruffly. ”Horses are waiting for you without.”
The countess did not even glance at the official who had thus come to convey her to what was in all probability death, but followed through the gate into the street. The men backed their horses up to the block of stone used for mounting. Ned a.s.sisted the females to the pillions, and when they were seated mounted his own horse and led the way down the street. Many of the people as they pa.s.sed along groaned or hooted, for the feeling in Maastricht was strongly in favour of the patriot side, a feeling for which they were some years later to be punished by almost total destruction of the city, and the slaughter of the greater portion of its inhabitants.
Ned paid no attention to these demonstrations, but quickening his horse into a trot rode along the street and out of the gate of the city. As the road was a frequented one, he maintained his place at the head of the party until they had left the city nearly two miles behind them. On arriving at a small crossroad one of the men said: ”This is the way, sir; it is up this road that the cart is waiting.” Ned now reined back his horse to the side of that on which the countess was riding.
”Countess,” he said, ”have you forgotten the English lad you aided a year ago in Brussels?”
The countess started.
”I recognize you now, sir,” she said coldly; ”and little did I think at that time that I should next see you as an officer of the Council of Blood.”
Ned smiled.
”Your mistake is a natural one, countess; but in point of fact I am still in the service of the Prince of Orange, and have only a.s.sumed this garb as a means of getting you and your daughter out of the hands of those murderers. I am happy to say that you are free to go where you will; these good fellows are like myself disguised, and are at your service. In a few minutes we shall come to a cart which will take you wheresoever you like to go, and there are disguises similar to those with which you once fitted me out in readiness for you there.”
The surprise of the countess for a moment kept her silent; but Gertrude, who had overheard what was said, burst into exclamations of delight.
”Pardon me for having doubted you,” the countess exclaimed, much affected.
”No pardon is required, countess. Seeing that the prison authorities handed you over to me, you could not but have supposed that I was as I seemed, in the service of the Council.”
Just at this moment they came upon a cart drawn up by the roadside. Ned a.s.sisted the countess and her daughter to alight, and while he was rendering similar a.s.sistance to the old servant, mother and daughter threw themselves into each other's arms, and wept with delight at this unexpected delivery that had befallen them. It was some time before they were sufficiently recovered to speak.
”But how do you come here?” the countess asked Ned, ”and how have you effected this miracle?”
Ned briefly related how he had heard of their captivity, and the manner in which he had been enabled to effect their escape.
”And now, countess,” he said, ”the day is wearing on, and it is necessary that you should at once decide upon your plans. Will you again try to make to the German frontier or to the sea coast, or remain in hiding here?”
”We cannot make for Germany without again crossing the Maas,” the countess said, ”and it is a long way to the sea coast. What say you, Magdalene?”
”I think,” the old woman said, ”that you had best carry out the advice I gave before. It is a little more than twelve miles from here to the village where, as I told you, I have relations living. We can hire a house there, and there is no chance of your being recognized. I can send a boy thence to Brussels to fetch the jewels and money you left in charge of your friend the Count Von Dort there.”
”That will certainly be the best way, Magdalene. We can wait there until either there is some change in the state of affairs, or until we can find some safe way of escape. It is fortunate, indeed, that I left my jewels in Brussels, instead of taking them with me as I had at first intended.
”It will hardly be necessary, will it,” she asked Ned, ”to put on the disguises, for nothing in the world can be simpler than our dresses at present?”
”You had certainly best put the peasant cloaks and caps on. Inquiries are sure to be made all through the country when they find at Maastricht how they have been tricked. Three peasant women in a cart will attract no attention whatever, even in pa.s.sing through villages; but, dressed as you are now, some one might notice you and recall it if inquiries were made.”