Part 4 (1/2)
Her lashes lifted, and then fell before my gaze.
”He at least a.s.sumes the power, and generally with fair success. I must ask to be excused from discussing this matter further now, but--but,” her voice trembled to a whisper, ”I--I am sure your safety depends upon your leaving me.”
Astonished by these words, suddenly wondering if she suspected me, scarcely comprehending what she meant, I stared into her face, as we circled the room. Grant stood stiffly against the wall where we left him, his eyes fastened moodily on the crowd; I realized his presence, yet my whole thought was concentrated on the girl, the strands of her hair brus.h.i.+ng my lips, her steps lightly following the music, her eyes downcast. Into the cheeks there came a flush of pink, and she glanced up to read the surprise in my face.
”Do I need to say more?”
”Yes, you must,” I insisted, ”you can never believe I would leave you because of personal fear.”
”I did not know--at first. Now I realize it will require a higher motive to influence you; not love of life, but love of country.”
I felt the closer clasp of her fingers on my guiding hand, and knew I took a deep breath of surprise.
”Lean your head just a little closer,” she whispered. ”I--I know you, Major Lawrence, and--and I wish you well.”
How I kept to the measure I cannot now imagine, for, in an instant, all my house of cards crumbled into nothingness. She knew me, this blue-eyed girl; knew me, and sought to aid my mission, this daughter of a loyalist, this lady of the Blended Rose. It was inconceivable, and yet a fact--my name had been whispered by her lips.
Suddenly she looked up laughing, as though to make others feel that we conversed lightly. We pa.s.sed Grant, even as I held my breath, almost afraid to venture with words. Yet they would not be restrained.
”You certainly startled me; how do you know this? Surely we have never met before?”
”I refuse to be questioned, sir; it means nothing how I know--the fact that I do should be sufficient.”
”But Mistress Claire--”
”Rather Mistress Mortimer.”
”Yet the Captain called you Claire.”
”And we were children together--you can scarcely claim such familiarity.”
”I warrant you can name me.”
”Allen, is it not, sir?”
What was it the witch did not know! This was no guess-work, surely, and yet how could her strange knowledge be accounted for? Sweet as the face was, greatly as it had attracted me, there was nothing to awaken a throb of memory. Surely I could never have seen her before, and forgotten; that would have been impossible. The music ceased, leaving us at the farther extremity of the hall.
”And now you will go?” she questioned eagerly.
”Do you mean, leave here?”
”Yes; you said once to-night, that but for me you would be riding yonder.
I realized all you meant, and you must not remain. The guard-lines are slack to-night, and you can get through, but if you wait until to-morrow it may be too late. Believe me, I am your friend, a friend of your cause.”
”I do believe you; I could not connect you with deceit, but I am bewildered at this sudden exposure. Does Captain Grant also suspect my ident.i.ty?”
”I think not--not yet, at least, for if he did you would be under arrest.
But there are others here who would recognize you just as I have. There is no mystery about it. I was in Philadelphia when the Continental troops were here, and you were pointed out to me then. No, we have never met, yet I was sure I recognized you this afternoon.”