Part 15 (1/2)
”We shall soon learn,” he answered His disappointrief he found noconcern Nor was his disappointhtful silence, she began to coory had it in his mind to chide her for this lack of interest in the fate of her intended husband, but he let the impulse pass unheeded After all, if Kenneth lived she should h to be guided by him; she had even displayed a kindness for Kenneth; no doubt she would do so again when Joseph returned with hi the Worcester slain, in which case, perhaps, it would prove best that his fate was not to cause her any prostration of grief
”The sky is heavy, father,” said Cynthia froh weather for his journey”
”I rejoice that sorowled Joseph, who re-entered, ”this uncle whom your father drives out of doors in all weathers to look for his daughter's truant lover”
Cynthia smiled upon him
”It is heroic of you, uncle”
”There, there,” he gruard, lest those pretty eyes should weep away their beauty”
Gregory's glance reproved this sneer of Joseph's, whereupon Joseph drew close to him:
”Broken-hearted, is she not?” he ory returned no answer
An hour later, as Joseph cliain, and directing his eyes upon the girl, who stood patting the glossy neck of his nag:
”Come, now,” said he, ”you see that ory sternly, ”I hope to see you return with the boy It will be better so”
Joseph shrugged his shoulders conte leave of his brother and his niece, he rode out with two grooms at his heels, and took the road South
CHAPTER XII THE HOUSE THAT WAS ROLAND MARLEIGH'S
It was high noon next day, and Gregory Ashburn was taking the air upon the noble terrace of Castle Marleigh, when the beat of hoofs, rapidly approaching up the avenue, arrested his attention He stopped in his walk, and, turning, sought to discover who caht was of his brother; his second, of Kenneth Through the half-denuded trees heside by side; and fro two, he adduced that this could not be Joseph returning
Even as he waited he was joined by Cynthia, who took her stand beside him, and voiced the inquiry that was in his mind But her father could no ht be Kenneth
Then the horsemen passed fro before the terrace, and unto the waiting glances of Ashburn and his daughter was revealed a curiously bedraggled and ill-assorted pair The one riding slightly in advance looked like a Puritan of the meaner sort, in his battered steeple-hat and cloak of rusty black The other was closely wrapped in a red th, and for all that his broad, grey hat was unadorned by any feather, it was set at a rakish, ruffling, dale that pronounced him no likely comrade for the piously clad youth beside him
But beneath that brave red cloak--alack!--as was presently seen when they disht He wore a leather jerkin, so cut and soiled that any grooreen breeches, frayed to their utmost; and coarse boots of untanned leather, adorned by rusty spurs
On the terrace Gregory paused a room to attend the new-coreet Kenneth with boisterous effusion Behind him, slow and stately as a wo of her lover, contained in courteous expressions of pleasure at beholding hiround, his sable locks uncovered out of deference to the lady, stood Sir Crispin, his face pale and haggard, his lips parted, and his grey eyes burning as they fell again, after the lapse of years, upon the stones of this his ho for shelter
Gregory was speaking, his hands resting upon Kenneth's shoulder
”We have been”We almost feared the worst, and yesterday Joseph left us to seek news of you at Cromwell's hands Where have you tarried?”
”Anon, sir; you shall learn anon The story is a long one”
”True; you will be tired, and perchance you would first rest a while