"I could answer nothing. "Twas because of her father"s dying wish I asked her, and she guessed that same. I would not tell her a lie, for only the one woman lives whom I love, and whom I have loved ever since we were children together among the strawberries. Need I say that that woman is you, Dorothy? I loved you before we sailed to Carvel Hall between my grandfather"s knees, and I will love you till death claims me."
Then it seemed as if my heart had stopped beating. But the snowy ap.r.o.n upon her breast fluttered like a sail stirring in the wind, her head was high, and her eyes were far away. Even my voice sounded in the distance as I continued:
"Will you be the mistress of Carvel Hall, Dorothy? Hallowed is the day that I can ask it."
What of this earth may excel in sweetness the surrender of that proud and n.o.ble nature! And her words, my dears, shall be sacred to you, too, who are descended from her. She bent forward a little, those deep blue eyes gazing full into my own with a fondness to make me tremble.
"Dear Richard," she said, "I believe I have loved you always. If I have been wilful and wicked, I have suffered more than you know--even as I have made you suffer."
"And now our suffering is over, Dorothy."
"Oh, don"t say that, my dear!" she cried, "but let us rather make a prayer to G.o.d."
Down she got on her knees close beside me, and I took both of her hands between my own. But presently I sought for a riband that was around my neck, and drew out a locket. Within it were pressed those lilies of the valley I had picked for her long years gone by on my birthday. And she smiled, though the tears shone like dewdrops on her lashes.
"When Jack brought you to us for dead, we did not take it off, dear,"
she said gently. "I wept with sorrow and joy at sight of it, for I remembered you as you were when you picked those flowers, and how lightly I had thought of leaving you as I wound them into my hair. And then, when I had gone aboard the "Annapolis", I knew all at once that I would have given anything to stay, and I thought my heart would break when we left the Severn cliffs behind. But that, sir, has been a secret until this day," she added, smiling archly through her tears.
She took out one of the withered flowers, and then as caressingly put it back beside the others, and closed the locket.
"I forbade Dr. Barry to take it off, Richard, when you lay so white and still. I knew then that you had been true to me, despite what I had heard. And if you were to die--" her voice broke a little as she pa.s.sed her hand over my brow, "if you were to die, my single comfort would have been that you wore it then."
"And you heard rumours of me, Dorothy?"
"George Worthington and others told me how ably you managed Mr. Swain"s affairs, and that you had become of some weight with the thinking men of the province. Richard, I was proud to think that you had the courage to laugh at disaster and to become a factor. I believe," she said shyly, "twas that put the cooking into my head, and gave me courage. And when I heard that Patty was to marry you, Heaven is my witness that I tried to be reconciled and think it for the best. Through my own fault I had lost you, and I knew well she would make you a better wife than I."
"And you would not even let Jack speak for me!"
"Dear Jack!" she cried; "were it not for Jack we should not be here, Richard."
"Indeed, Dolly, two people could scarce fall deeper in debt to another than are you and I to my Lord Viscount," I answered, with feeling. "His honesty and loyalty to us both saved you for me at the very outset."
"Yes," she replied thoughtfully, "I believed you dead. And I should have married him, I think. For Dr. Courtenay had sent me that piece from the Gazette telling of the duel between you over Patty Swain--"
"Dr. Courtenay sent you that!" I interrupted.
"I was a wild young creature then, my dear, with little beside vanity under my cap. And the notion that you could admire and love any girl but me was beyond endurance. Then his Lordship arrived in England, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with praise of you, to a.s.sure me that the affair was not about Patty at all. This was far from making me satisfied that you were not in love with her, and I may say now that I was miserable. Then, as we were setting out for Castle Howard, came the news of your death on the road to Upper Marlboro. I could not go a step. Poor Jack, he was very honest when he proposed," she added, with a sigh.
"He loved you, Dorothy."
She did not hear me, so deep was she in thought.
""Twas he who gave me news of you, when I was starving at Gordon"s."
"And I--I starved, too, Richard," she answered softly. "Dearest, I slid very wrong. There are some matters that must be spoken of between us, whatever the pain they give. And my heart aches now when I think of that dark day in Arlington Street when I gave you the locket, and you went out of my life. I knew that I had done wrong then, Richard, as soon as ever the door closed behind you. I should have gone with you, for better for worse, for richer for poorer. I should have run after you in the rain and thrown myself at your feet. And that would have been best for my father and for me."
She covered her face with her hands, and her words were stifled by a sob.
"Dorothy, Dorothy!" I cried, drawing her to me. "Another time. Not now, when we are so happy."
"Now, and never again, dear," she said. "Yes, I saw and heard all that pa.s.sed in the drawing-room. And I did not blame, but praised you for it. I have never spoken a word beyond necessity to my father since. G.o.d forgive me!" she cried, "but I have despised him from that hour. When I knew that he had plotted to sell me to that detestable brute, working upon me to save his honour, of which he has not the smallest spark; that he had recognized and denied you, friendless before our house, and sent you into the darkness at Vauxhall to be murdered, then he was no father of mine. I would that you might know what my mother has suffered from such a man, Richard."
"My dear, I have often pitied her from my soul," I said.
"And now I shall tell you something of the story of the Duke of Chartersea," she went on, and I felt her tremble as she spoke that name.
"I think of all we have Lord Comyn to thank for, next to saving your life twice, was his telling you of the danger I ran. And, Richard, after refusing you that day on the balcony over the Park, I had no hope left.
You may thank your own n.o.bility and courage that you remained in London after that. Richard," she said, "do you recall my asking you in the coach, on the way from Castle Yard, for the exact day you met my father in Arlington Street?"
"Yes," I replied, in some excitement, "yes." For I was at last to come at the bottom of this affair.
"The duke had made a formal offer for me when first we came to London.
I think my father wrote of that to Dr. Courtenay." (I smiled at the recollection, now.) "Then his Grace persisted in following me everywhere, and vowed publicly that he would marry me. I ordered him from our house, since my father would not. At last one afternoon he came back to dine with us, insolent to excess. I left the table. He sat with my father two hours or more, drinking and singing, and giving orders to the servants. I shut my door, that I might not hear. After a while my mother came up to me, crying, saying that Mr. Manners would be branded with dishonour and I did not consent to marry his Grace,--a most terrible dishonour, of which she could not speak. That the duke had given my father a month to win my consent. And that month was up, Richard, the very afternoon you appeared with Mr. Dix in Arlington Street."
"And you agreed to marry him, Dolly?" I asked breathlessly.
"By the grace of Heaven, I did not," she answered quickly. "The utmost that I would consent to was a two months" respite, promising to give my hand to no one in that interval. And so I was forced to refuse you, Richard. You must have seen even then that I loved you, dear, though I was so cruel when you spoke of saving me from his Grace. I could not bear to think that you knew of any stain upon our family. I think--I think I would rather have died, or have married him. That day I threw Chartersea"s presents out of the window, but my father made the servants gather them all which escaped breaking, and put them in the drawing-room. Then I fell ill."
She was silent, I clinging to her, and shuddering to think how near I had been to losing her.
"It was Jack who came to cheer me," I said presently.
"His faith in you was never shaken, sweetheart. But I went to Newmarket and Ampthill, and behaved like the ingrate I was. I richly deserved the scolding he had for me when I got back to town, which sent me running to Arlington Street. There I met Dr. James coming out, who asked me if I was Mr. Carvel, and told me that you had called my name."
"And, you goose, you never suspected," says she, smiling.
"How was I to suspect that you loved a provincial b.o.o.by like me, when you had the choice of so many accomplished gentlemen with t.i.tles and estates?"
"How were you to perceive, indeed, that you had qualities which they lacked?"
"And you were forever vowing that you would marry a n.o.bleman, my lady.
For you said to me once that I should call you so, and ride in the coach with the coroneted panels when I came home on a visit."
"And I said, too," retorted Dolly, with mischief in her eyes, "do you remember what I told you the New Year"s eve when we sat out by the sundial at Carvel Hall, when I was so proud of having fixed Dr.
Courtenay"s attentions? I said that I should never marry you, sir, who was so rough and masterful, and thrashed every lad that did not agree with you."
"Alas, so you did, and a deal more!" I exclaimed.
With that she broke away from me and, getting to her feet, made me a low curtsey with the grace that was hers alone.
"You are my Lord and my King, sir," she said, "and my rough Patriot squire, all in one."
"Are you happy, Dolly?" I asked, tremulous from my own joy.
"I have never been happy in all my life before, Richard dear," she said.
In truth, she was a being transformed, and more wondrous fair than ever.
And even then I pictured her in the brave gowns and jewels I would buy her when times were mended, when our dear country would be free. All at once, ere I could draw a breath, she had stooped and kissed me ever so lightly on the forehead.