Part 34 (2/2)
He closed the door, and stepped back with a word of co herself back almost in a pet What manner of lover, she asked herself, was thin and what manner of woman she, to let herself be borne away by one who made so little use of the arts and wiles of sweet persuasion? To carry her off, and yet not so much as sit beside her, orthy only of a reatly at it, yet more she marvelled at herself that she did not abandon this ht froun
CHAPTER XXV CYNTHIA'S FLIGHT
Throughout the night they went ruishness elicited many an oath from Crispin as he rode a few yards in the rear, ever watchful of the possibility of pursuit But there was none, nor none need he have feared, since whilst he rode through the cold night, Gregory Ashburn slept as peacefully as a ined his dutiful daughter safely abed
With the first streaks of steely light cahten Crispin's discomfort, for of late he had been overh he was, he was yet flesh and blood, and subject to its ills Towards ten o'clock they passed through Denham When they were clear of it Cynthia put her head frohter and happier As Crispin rode a yard or so behind, he caught sight of her fresh, s face, and it affected hio had been his as he talked to her upon the cliffs was again upon hiht that anon she would be linked to him by the ties of relationshi+p, was pleasurable
She gave hi his horse to the carriage door, was solicitous to know of her coain fall behind until Stafford was reached at noon Here, at the sign of the Suffolk Arms, he called a halt, and they broke their fast on the best the house could give theay, and so indeed was Crispin, yet she noted in hiradually her spirits sank again before it
To Crispin's chagrin there were no horses to be had Soh before the four jaded beasts in the stable It seemed, indeed, that theyto that conclusion, Sir Crispin's temper suffered sorely
”Why need it put you so about,” cried Cynthia, in arch reproach, ”since I am with you?”
”Blood and fire, madam,” roared Galliard, ”it is precisely for that reason that I am exercised What if your father came upon us here?”
”My father, sir, is abed with a sound and a fever,” she replied, and he reh the shoulder
”Still,” he returned, ”he will have discovered your flight, and I dare se shall have his myrmidons upon our heels Should they coentle than he would be”
She paled at that, and for a second there was silence Then her hand stole forth upon his arhtened lips and a defiant air
”What, indeed, if they do? Are you not with , and for his valour had dubbed hiht upon a field of stricken battle; yet the honour of it had not brought him the elation those words--expressive of her utter faith in hiat in his heart Upon the instant the delay ceased to fret hihed, ”since you put it so, I care not who co you froone to a passionate speech since they had left Sheringha it he had stood a full two yards away, and in that she had taken no pleasure
Bidding her reht, he left her, and she, following his straight, lank figure--so eloquent of strength--and the familiar poise of his left hand upon the pued to her, and secure in his protection She sat herself at the hen he was gone, and whilst she awaited his return, she huht, and there was a flush upon her cheeks Not even in the wet, greasy street could she find any unsightliness that afternoon But as she waited, and the rew to hours, that flush faded, and the sparkle died gradually from her eyes The measure that she had hummed was silenced, and her shapely hter mould, as he continued absent
A frown drew her brows together, and Mistress Cynthia's thoughts were h Where was he? Why came he not? She took up a book of plays that lay upon the table, and sought to while away the ti The afternoon faded into dusk, and still he did not cohts and at that Cynthia became almost violent
”Where is Sir Crispin?” she de answer that she knew not, she angrily bade her go ascertain
In a pet, Cynthia paced the chaone upon that errand Did this man account her a toy to while away the hours for which he could find no more profitable diversion, and to leave her to die of ennui when aught else offered? Was it a so with hie land, that he should show himself so little sensible of the honour done hiue herself, and finding them either unanswerable, or answerable only by affir the inn, andher way back to London to seek out her aunt, when the door opened and her wo her alone ”Where is Sir Crispin?”
”Below, madam”
”Below?” echoed she ”And what, pray, doth he below?”
”He is at dice with a gentleman from London”