Part 65 (1/2)
”And they will accompany us, of course,” said her visitor. ”Will you tell them to get ready?”
”If you would not mind,” said Lady Markham, appealingly; and without further parley Mistress Forrester crossed the room, tapped lightly, and pa.s.sed through the door, while Lady Markham darted to the curtain and seized her son by the arm.
”Am I doing right?” she whispered.
”Quite, dearest mother,” he replied in so low a tone that she could hardly hear. ”Some day perhaps Fred and I may be friends again.”
”Then I am to go?”
”Yes; it will give me a chance to escape.”
”They are dressed and ready,” said Mistress Forrester, returning. ”Poor things, they have not been to bed.”
At that moment there was another tap at the door, and upon its being opened, Fred was standing there.
”The horses are ready,” he said quietly. ”I have had your pony saddled, Lilian. Lady Markham, the two servants will have to ride pillion behind a couple of our men.”
For answer Lady Markham drew her hood over her head, and a.s.sisted Lilian, who was ready to burst into a fit of hysterical sobbing; and in fear lest she should betray her brother's whereabouts, her mother hurried her to the door, but stopped to see all out before her, leaving last, and taking the precaution to slip the key from the lock, lest some one should come and her son should find it fast.
Ten minutes later, Scarlett Markham stood at the window listening to the setting off of the little party, with his head well hidden behind the curtain, and remained motionless till the trampling of the horses died away in the silence of the night.
”Ah,” he said to himself, ”nothing could have happened better, as the enemy is in possession. Poor mother! Poor Lil! What a pang to have to leave the dear old home; but they will be away from the tumult and bloodshed if the rebels stand. Now for my news, if I can carry it without being caught.”
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.
SCARLETT ESCAPES UNDER DIFFICULTIES.
”Ugh! it's cold,” said Scarlett, as he moved away from the window in his mother's chamber, and gave one look round in the gloom at the familiar old place, a.s.sociated with his childhood and boyish life before he was forced into this premature manhood by the exigencies of the war. ”But never mind; I shall soon be warm enough--hot enough, if I am seen and pursued.”
He tightened the belt he wore, and drew a long breath, as if about to start running. Then crossing the room softly, he opened the door, meaning, as his mission was at an end, to make a bold quick rush for the secret stair, to open the slide and pa.s.s in. If he made a little noise there, the sentry might hear it and welcome, he would discover nothing.
A sudden thought struck him.
”Capital!” he said to himself, joyously. ”Fifty men quietly introduced by the secret pa.s.sage, and led right into the house. Why, we could surprise them all asleep, and the place would be taken without loss of life. What a result to an accidental discovery!”
Then a damping thought occurred.
”No,” he muttered; ”Fred will have remembered it, and made all safe.
Perhaps let us get in, and trap us. He is too clever to leave that place open. He has not had time to secure it yet. What a pity we two are on opposite sides!”
As he thought this, he involuntarily raised his hand to his shortly cut hair, and a look of vexation crossed his face.
”Forward!” he muttered, as if giving an order, and to put an end to his musings; and at the word he was in the act of pa.s.sing through the doorway, and had taken a step into the corridor when there was a sharp challenge from the sentry down in the hall. But the pa.s.sword was given, and by the sounds it seemed to Scarlett that two armed men had begun to ascend the stairs.
Yes, undoubtedly two, for one said something lightly, and he caught the reply.
”We'll soon see about that.”
The words were in a subdued tone of voice, and pa.s.sing back into the room, Scarlett drew the door after him, leaving a mere crack, so that he could listen.