Part 66 (1/2)
Meantime Lady Clementina, her maid having gone to send her man to get horses for her at once, was alone in her room, which was close to the drawing room: hearing Malcolm's voice, she ran to the door, and saw Rose in a listening att.i.tude at that of the drawing room.
”What are you doing there?” she said.
”Mr MacPhail told me to follow him, my lady, and I am waiting here till he wants me.”
Clementina went into the drawing room, and was present during all that now follows. Lizzy also, hearing loud voices and still afraid of mischief had come peering up the stair, and now approached the other door; behind Florimel and the earl.
”So!” cried Florimel, ”this is the way you keep your promise to my father!”
”It is, my lady. To a.s.sociate the name of Liftore with his would be to blot the scutcheon of Lossie. He is not fit to walk the street with men: his touch is to you an utter degradation. My lady, in the name of your father, I beg a word with you in private.”
”You insult me.”
”I beg of you, my lady--for your own dear sake.”
”Once more I order you to leave my house, and never set foot in it again.”
”You hear her ladys.h.i.+p?” cried Liftore. ”Get out.” He approached threateningly.
”Stand back,” said Malcolm. ”If it were not that I promised the poor girl carrying your baby out there, I should soon--”
It was unwisely said: the earl came on the bolder. For all Malcolm could do to parry, evade, or stop his blows, he had soon taken several pretty severe ones. Then came the voice of Lizzy in an agony from the door--
”Haud aff o' yersel', Ma'colm. I canna bide it. I gi'e ye back yer word.”
”We'll manage yet Lizzy,” answered Malcolm, and kept warily retreating towards a window. Suddenly he dashed his elbow through a pane, and gave a loud shrill whistle, the same instant receiving a blow over the eye which the blood followed. Lizzy made a rush forward, but the terror that the father would strike the child he had disowned, seized her, and she stood trembling. Already, however, Clementina and Rose had darted between, and, full of rage as he was, Liftore was compelled to restrain himself.
”Oh!” he said, ”if ladies want a share in the row, I must yield my place,” and drew back.
The few men servants now came hurrying all together into the room.
”Take that rascal there, and put him under the pump,” said Liftore.
”He is mad.”
”My fellow servants know better than touch me,” said Malcolm.
The men looked to their mistress.
”Do as my lord tells you,” she said, ”--and instantly.”
”Men,” said Malcolm, ”I have spared that foolish lord there for the sake of this fisher girl and his child, but don't one of you touch me.”
Stoat was a brave enough man, and not a little jealous of Malcolm, but he dared not obey his mistress.
And now came the tramp of many feet along the landing from the stair head, and the six fisherman entered, two and two. Florimel started forward.
”My brave fisherman!” she cried. ”Take that bad man MacPhail, and put him out of my grounds .”
”I canna du't, my leddy,” answered their leader.