Part 11 (1/2)
”I deeply regret, madam,” he said, with stately courtesy to Mrs.
Seymour, ”that a corporal's guard should have caused you such annoyance, and I shall see that the fellow who treated you so roughly be properly punished. Meantime, if you intend to enter New York you will be obliged to leave your coach a mile farther on, and cross the river on horseback.
King's Bridge, as you may know, was fired some months ago by the rebels, and the flatboat used for ferrying has been abandoned on account of the ice. It will afford me pleasure to do what I can for your comfort and that of your companion. But it is my duty, unfortunately, to make pa.s.sing search of your coach; will you pardon me if I do so?”
As he spoke, Captain Yorke advanced to the door and extended his hand to a.s.sist the occupant of the vehicle to alight, but Betty, ignoring a.s.sistance, attempted to spring past him to the ground. As the willful maiden did so the topknot of her hood caught in a provoking nail of the open door and was violently pulled from her head: and as her lovely, rosy face almost brushed his sleeve, Geoffrey started back with a low cry,--
”_Betty!_”
CHAPTER X
A MAID'S CAPRICE
”Mistress Betty, sir,” came the swift whisper in retort, and with so haughty a gesture that Geoffrey stepped back as if he had been struck, while Betty, with a slight inclination of her head, pa.s.sed on to where Mrs. Seymour stood with Caesar on the other side of the coach. But if she expected him to follow she was swiftly made aware of her mistake, for Geoffrey merely pursued his intention of searching the pockets of the coach, and when he emerged from it he came, hat in hand, toward the ladies with face more calm and unruffled than Betty's own.
”If you will resume your seats,” he said, addressing Mrs. Seymour, without a glance at Betty, who (now that her anger born partly of terror had pa.s.sed) stole a quick look at him, and as quickly looked away, ”I will ride on before you and be waiting at the river; if it be safe, you will cross on horseback; if not, on foot, and I shall take great pleasure in seeing that you reach King's Bridge Inn in safety.”
Whereupon he escorted Mrs. Seymour to the coach, and when he turned to a.s.sist Betty found that she was in the act of climbing inside by the other door, where Caesar stood in attendance.
”What a provoking child it is!” said Geoffrey to himself as he flung into his saddle, smiling at the recollection of Betty's rebuke and proud little toss of her head. ”'Mistress Betty'! Very well, so be it; and thanks to the star of good fortune which guided my steps up the road to-day. I wonder how she comes here, and why,” and Captain Yorke gave his horse the spur as he galloped on.
Some distance behind him the coach lumbered forward, and Mrs. Seymour's tongue rattled on gayly. So engrossed was she with being nearly at her journey's end, and their good luck at having fallen in with Yorke, that Betty's silence pa.s.sed unnoticed.
”To think that we should meet again,” ran Betty's thoughts. ”'Betty,'
forsooth! How dare he use my name so freely! What would Mrs. Seymour have thought had she heard him, and how could I possibly have explained with any air of truth unless I told her the whole story--which I would rather die at once than do. He has not changed at all; I should have known him anywhere, even in that hateful scarlet coat, which becomes him so mightily. I wonder if my rebuke was too severe”--and here she became conscious of Mrs. Seymour again.
”Yorke--did not that handsome young officer say his name was Yorke? Why, then he must have some kins.h.i.+p with the Earl of Hardwicke; very probably this young man may be a grandson of the earl. I must ask my sister; she will have some information about it.”
”Worse and worse,” thought Betty. ”A British officer--kinsman of an earl--oh, me, in what a coil am I enveloped! But at least my father knows all, and he would not hold me disloyal.”
The coach b.u.mped and jolted along, and finally came to a standstill, while Caesar's voice was heard addressing some one. Betty looked out of the window and behold a dismal prospect enough. The bank shelved gradually down to the river, which at this point was narrow, and between them and the other sh.o.r.e stretched a mixture of snow and ice; she could distinguish the flat-bottomed boat used for ferrying purposes stuck fast almost in the middle of the stream.
”How are we to cross?” said Mrs. Seymour dolefully, looking down at her feet. ”I wish I had an extra pair of woolen stockings to pull over my shoes; the snow and ice will be cold walking. What are they doing to the horses?”
”Will it please you to alight, madam?” said Geoffrey, springing from his saddle at the door of the coach. ”My men are of the opinion that the ice will not bear so much weight as your coach with you ladies and Caesar in it, but if you can mount your horses we can lead them and you can cross in safety. Meanwhile Caesar can remain here to guard your property, and when my men fetch the horses back they can a.s.sist him to transport the coach to the other side. I hope the plan meets your approbation. It seems the only feasible one, provided you ladies can ride without a saddle.”
”Bless me,” cried Mrs. Seymour, ”I shall surely slip off on the ice!
Betty here is a horsewoman, but, alas! I am not.”
”Then we must contrive a way,” replied Geoffrey. ”If a blanket be strapped over my saddle I think you can sit on it.--Caesar, put one of those blankets on my horse instead of yours.”
”Oh, that will do nicely; how kind you are, Captain Yorke.”
”Will the young lady be able to ride one of your horses?” asked Geoffrey, addressing Mrs. Seymour.
”I can ride anything,” said Betty hastily, ”for my mare is”--and then she bit her lip and colored brightly as Geoffrey turned toward her.
”You will be quite safe, for I shall lead your horse myself. Let me first attend Mrs. Seymour.”
Between terror and small gasps of laughter Mrs. Seymour's mounting was accomplished, and then Geoffrey (artful fellow!) summoned a tall, good-looking trooper from the patrol, and, placing the reins in Mrs.