It formed no part of her calculations that he should be waiting for her at her own door, that, lighting down from her pony in the dusk of evening, she should leap into his arms, and find herself folded in a close embrace against his heart.
"Oh! you musn"t! you musn"t!" was all Nelly had strength to say, for one happy moment, ere she released herself and stood apart, trembling in every limb. Then, even in the failing light, she observed that his face was very grave, and she missed the gay, careless ring in his tone, that possessed so strange a charm for her loving ear. She had never heard him speak so sadly before.
"Sweetheart," he whispered, "my own Nelly, I looked for you all the way home, and waited here till you came back, because I had something to say that it was right you should hear to-night. I have not the heart to say it now. I was going away to-morrow morning, only for a time, Nelly, but I cannot leave you in your distress. I must stay and help you to keep up your courage, dear heart, and to take care of grandfather. He is ill--very ill, I fear, my pretty la.s.s, and asked for you before he went to lie down; but try not to be frightened, dear heart, if--if--he doesn"t seem to know you at first, when you go to his bedside!"
With a little cry of pity and terror she bounded from him while he spoke, and sped like a lapwing to her grandfather"s chamber, leaving John Garnet standing by the porch, with Cowslip"s bridle on his arm, in the last stage of perplexity and distress.
Leading the pony to the stable, he felt utterly at a loss what to do.
Courageous as he was, and too reckless of his own safety, he could not but feel that his position here in the hiding-place he had chosen became more dangerous every hour. Red Rube"s warning did but corroborate his own suspicions, and when he reflected on Parson Gale"s unscrupulous hatred, which would leave no stone unturned to deliver him into the hangman"s hands, his common sense told him there was but one chance of escape left, while the plan advised by the harbourer, of taking boat at Ilfracombe, seemed the only practicable means of flight.
So soon, therefore, the next day, as Katerfelto was recovered from the effects of his exertions, he had intended to make for that little seaport, and embark forthwith, sending the grey horse back to Porlock by a trusty hand, to remain in Mistress Carew"s care till its owner"s return. He promised himself one more interview with Nelly, when, for the fiftieth time, they might exchange vows of unalterable affection, and so would go his way, despondent indeed and unhappy, yet not wholly despairing of better days to come.
And now old Carew"s dangerous illness, of which he was advised the moment he got off his horse, scattered all these projects to the winds.
While he waited for Nelly"s return, that he might prepare her to expect the worst, he resolved that no consideration of safety for himself should part him from the woman he loved, so long as his presence could cheer and console her grief.
After a restless night, and an early visit to Katerfelto"s stable, where it was satisfactory to find the grey horse, fresh and lively, rested from his hard day, John Garnet presented himself at Carew"s door, and was surprised to be received by Nelly herself, who had not been to bed, yet looked none the less beautiful for the pale face and weary eyes, that spoke of some trial even sorer and sadder than the watch in a sick chamber, than the cruel suspense of hope and fear, when life seems to hang on a thread, that wears itself slowly away.
He would have caught her in his arms, but she motioned him to keep back with a scared, wistful look, and a ghastly smile, that chilled him to the heart.
"He is conscious," she said. "I thought you would wish to know. There is yet a hope, and G.o.d is merciful. Surely I am not to lose all in one day at one blow!"
"He will get well, sweetheart," answered John Garnet, hopefully, "and live, I pray, for many a long year to come. In a few weeks he will be strong enough to leave his bed, and, Nelly, he will be able to give me the girl I love with his own hand."
The last sentence he whispered in her ear, but she started away from him, and her face, pale enough before, turned white to the very lips.
"Silence!" she exclaimed, fiercely. "You must never speak to me like that again!"
But for the pity of it, his blank amazement would have seemed absolutely ludicrous. It was as though some soft and gentle bird that he loved and cherished had turned on him, with the gaping beak and battling wings of an infuriated hawk!
"What mean you?" he gasped. "What is it? Nelly! Sweetheart! What have I done?"
"To save him from death! To save him from death!" The words seemed ringing in her brain, or she never could have nerved herself for the task she had undertaken.
"We have not gone too far to draw back, Master Garnet," she said. "There is a time for all things. Let there be no more fooling between you and me!"
She spoke lightly, even flippantly, though she felt her heart breaking.
Surely there is no courage like that of a woman who makes up her mind to lead a forlorn hope.
"Fooling!" he repeated; "fooling! Do you mean to affirm that you have been _fooling_ me all the time? Explain yourself, Mistress Carew. Have you found a new sweetheart, or is this but a sorry jest to try the temper of the old?"
She bowed her head in a.s.sent. If she made him angry, she thought it would be easier to effect a rupture. And yet, to part from him unkindly!
ah! if she could but fall down then and there, tell him the truth, and die!
He felt utterly perplexed, astounded, incredulous, yet wounded to the very heart. It seemed so impossible she should have ceased to care for him, even while the announcement was on her very lips. Stiffly, and with an offended air, extremely unlike the frank and kindly bearing that was one of John Garnet"s characteristics, he made a low bow, and observed quietly:
"No lady need fear persecution from me. Forgive my repeating to you, Mistress Carew, that I loved you dearly, and believed you cared for me in return."
"I know it," she said, and but for a choking sensation in her throat would have added something more.
"I have deceived myself strangely, it seems," he continued, trying to meet her eyes, which she kept averted from his face. "Nevertheless, I think I am ent.i.tled to demand the cause of this sudden dismissal. I should not like to lose my _respect_ for you, Mistress Carew, even though I must try to forget my own unreasonable love."
Still that catching in the throat. She loosened the black velvet band round her neck, before she could answer.
"Master Garnet," she said, "it is not good for you to be here. You ought never to have come. I blame myself you have not sooner gone away.
Believe me, the air of Porlock means death. If you--you ever cared for me, as you say, depart at once, to-day, this very hour, and put the blue sea between us, for _my_ sake!"
"For _your_ sake?" This was surely a new experience of the s.e.x, thought John Garnet; was ever woman so incomprehensible? Was ever woman so lovely, and so beloved?
"For my sake," she repeated, and the blue eyes met his own without flinching. "Master Garnet, I am going to be married, and your presence here conduces neither to my happiness nor your own."
"Married? Tell me at least the name of the man you have chosen."
There was no bitterness in his tone. Only a deep sorrow and a kindly interest that told of unselfish affection, wounded but not destroyed.
"Parson Gale," she answered, speaking very fast and glancing wildly about her. "Does it surprise you? Is it strange? Does it not seem like a jest?" She burst into a painful laugh, shrill, harsh, and by no means suggestive of mirth. He looked anxiously in her face, wondering more and more.
"Mistress Carew," he said, in a grave earnest voice, "I pray you may be happy!" and offered his hand.
She caught it in both her own, with a low, sobbing cry, pressed it to her heart, her lips, her eyes now streaming with tears, flung it from her in hysteric violence, and rushed out of his presence, leaving John Garnet utterly bewildered and dismayed.
Even now he could not bring himself to admit that all was over between them, though wholly unable to account for his sweetheart"s inexplicable conduct, and completely at a loss what to think, and what to believe.
Later in the day, wandering restlessly to and fro, unwilling to leave its vicinity, he observed Parson Gale ride through the village of Porlock, dismount at old Carew"s door, tie his horse there by the bridle, and enter the house without farther ceremony. Then, for the first time in his life, he felt that keen pang of jealousy, which is at once the test, and the punishment of love.
The Parson, notwithstanding certain misgivings, smothered in his own breast, that his wooing, although successful, was attended by many hindrances and drawbacks, had attired himself, as became his new character, with unusual care and splendour. The rusty old riding suit was replaced by a glossy black coat and waistcoat. His boots were clean, his spurs bright, and a new steel buckle shone in the band of his hat.
More than one acquaintance whom he met in his ride, grinned admiringly, and asked himself, in his own vernacular, "Wot the d.i.c.kens Payson wur up to now?"
But Abner Gale, like the rest of mankind, was doomed to learn, that, in a love chase, as in a stag hunt, checks, disappointments, falls, and other casualties must be encountered and endured. He had bought his pearl at a great price, no less than the loss of his revenge, and it seemed there should be nothing to do now, but to stretch out his hand and place the jewel in his breast. He felt sore and angry, like a man defrauded of his rights, or overreached in a bargain, to find himself kept waiting nearly an hour in old Carew"s parlour, and greeted at last by Nelly, with a pale, serious face, and eyes full of tears.
He was a brisk suitor enough, to do him justice, entertaining no very exalted notions of women"s coyness and delicacy, but holding rather to certain old-fashioned maxims inculcating prompt.i.tude and decision, protesting that "faint heart never won fair lady," and always impatient to "strike while the iron was hot." Yet even Parson Gale felt abashed to meet that serious, heart-broken gaze, and he could no more have offered to kiss her cheek than if she had been a queen on the throne.
Coldly, quietly, as though there were nothing more between them than the intercourse of common acquaintance, she informed him of her grandfather"s illness, and her own fears for its result, adding that he required constant attendance; and Master Gale must not think her uncivil or inhospitable if she could spare him only a few minutes of her company in this climax of sorrow and distress.
Perhaps she never thought so well of him as when he released her hand with that respect which real misery commands from the roughest of natures, while he bade her, in a tone of unfeigned sympathy, "Keep her heart up, and never say die; for while there"s life there"s hope!"
"Not for _me_, Master Gale!" answered poor Nelly, now breaking down completely. "Oh! grandfather, grandfather! I had but _you_ in the world!" Then she hid her face in her hands, and he saw by the action of her shoulders that she was sobbing as if her heart would break.--He dashed a tear from his own rough cheek.
"I"ll take my leave now, Mistress Nelly," said he, "only wishing I could be of service to you, or do you good. Is there _nothing_ you can think of? I"d go fasting and bare-foot from here to--to Jerusalem!" declared the Parson, who had not an idea where it was, "if I thought I could take the weight of a feather off the burden you have to bear!"
She only waved him away with one hand, keeping her tear-stained face buried in the other. He had already reached the door, when a bright thought suggested itself, and he turned back.
"Mistress Nelly!" he exclaimed, "if there"s a doctor in England can cure good Master Carew, I know where he is to be found. I"ll wager a gallon I bring him to this house within four hours of the present time." The familiar expression denoted that Parson Gale was thoroughly in earnest.
Nelly looked up through her tears. "G.o.d bless you for your kindness, at anyrate," she sobbed. "What is he? Who is he? Send for him at once!"
He turned, with his hand on the door. "The man is in hiding," he answered, "and may be afraid to come, for there is a price on his head.
But this is a case of life and death, and if he refuses, I"ll tie him hand and foot, by George, bundle him on to a horse, and carry him with me at a gallop across the moor!"