Part 10 (1/2)

”What must I do, Mr. Anneys?” she asked. ”What must I do?”

”Send your brother away from c.u.mberland to-night. I say he must leave to-night. To-morrow morning may be too late to prevent a great humiliation. Aspatria begged me to come to you. I do not say I wanted to come.”

At this moment the door opened, and Sarah Sandys entered. Brune turned, and saw her; and his heart stood still. She came slowly forward, her garment of pale-green and white just touching her sandalled feet. She had a rush basket full of violets in her hands; there were primroses in her breast and belt, and her face was like a pink rose. High on her head her fair hair was lifted, and, being fastened with a large turquoise comb, it gave the idea of suns.h.i.+ne and blue sky.

Brune stood looking at her, as a mortal might look at the divine Cytherea made manifest. His handsome, open face, full of candid admiration, had almost an august character. He bowed to her, as men bow when they bend their heart and give its homage and delight. Sarah was much impressed by the young man's beauty, and she felt his swift adoration of her own charms. She made Lady Redware introduce her to Brune, and she completed her conquest of the youth as she stood a moment holding his hand and smiling with captivating grace into his eyes.

Then Lady Redware explained Brune's mission, and Sarah grasped the situation without any disguises. ”It simply means flight, Elizabeth,”

she said. ”What could Ulfar do with fifty or sixty angry c.u.mberland squires? He would have to go. In fact, I know they have a method of persuasion no mortal man can resist.”

Brune saw that his errand was accomplished. Lady Redware thanked him for his consideration, and Sarah rang for the tea-service, and made him a cup, and gave it to him with her own lovely hands. Brune saw their exquisite form, their translucent glow, the sparkling of diamonds and emeralds upon them. The tea was as if brewed in Paradise; it tasted of all things delightful; it was a veritable cup of enchantments.

Then Brune rode away, and the two women watched him over the hill. He sat his great black hunter like a cavalry officer; and the creature devoured the distance with strides that made their hearts leap to the sense of its power and life.

”He is the very handsomest man I ever saw!” said Sarah.

”What is to be done about Ulfar? Sarah, you must manage this business.

He will not listen to me.”

”Ulfar has five senses. Ulfar is very fond of himself. He will leave Redware, of course. How handsome Brune Anneys is!”

”Will you coax him to leave to-night?”

”Ulfar? Yes, I will; for it is the proper thing for him to do. It would be a shame to bring his quarrels to your house.--What a splendid rider! Look, Elizabeth, he is just topping the hill! I do believe he turned his head! Is he not handsome? Apollo! Antinous! Pshaw! Brune Anneys is a great deal more human, and a great deal more G.o.dlike, than either.”

”Do not be silly, Sarah. And do occupy yourself a little with Ulfar now.”

”When the hour comes, I will. Ulfar is evidently occupying himself at present in watching his wife. There is a decorous naughtiness and a stimulating sense of danger about seeing Aspatria, that must be a thorough enjoyment to Ulfar.”

”Men are always in fusses. Ulfar has kept my heart palpitating ever since he could walk alone.”

Sarah sighed. ”It is very difficult,” she said, ”to decide whether very old men or very young men can be the greater trial. The suffering both can cause is immense! Poor Sandys was sixty-six, and Ulfar is thirty-six, and--” She shook her head, and sighed again.

”How hateful country-people are!” exclaimed Elizabeth. ”They must talk, no matter what tragedy they cause with their scandalous words.”

”Are they worse than our own set, either in town or country? You know what the Countess of Denbigh considered pleasant conversation?--telling things that ought not to be told.”

”The Countess is a wretch! she would tell the most sacred of secrets.”

”I tell secrets also. I do not consider it wrong. What business has any one to throw the _onus_ of keeping their secret on my shoulders?

Why should they expect from me more prudence than they themselves have shown?”

”That is true. But in these valleys they speak so uncomfortably direct; nothing but the strongest, straightest, most definite words will be used.”

”That is a pity. People ought to send scandal through society in a respectable hunt-the-slipper form of circulation. But that is a kind of decency to be cultivated. However, I shall tell Ulfar, in the plainest words I can find, that there will be about sixty c.u.mberland squires here to-morrow, to ride with him out of the county, and that they are looking forward to the fun of it just as much as if it was a fox-hunt. Ulfar has imagination. He will be able to conceive such a ride,--the flying man, and the roaring, laughing, whip-cracking squires after him! He will remember how Tom Appleton the wrestler, who did something foul, was escorted across the county line last summer.

And Ulfar hates a scene. Can you fancy him making himself the centre of such an affair?”

So they talked while Brune galloped homeward in a very happy mood. He felt as those ancients may have felt when they met the Immortals and saluted them. The thought of the beautiful Mrs. Sandys filled his imagination; but he talked comfortably to Aspatria, and a.s.sured her that there was now no fear of a meeting between her husband and Will.

”Only,” he said, ”tell Will yourself to-night, and he will never doubt you.”