"Cousin! Ha, ha!" said he. "So the wench is his cousin. Damme, I half suspect he has fallen in love with his new-found cousin; and if so, Miss Sybil, or I"m mistaken, will look as yellow as a guinea. If that little Spanish devil gets it into her pretty jealous pate that he is about to bring home a new mistress, we shall have a tragedy-scene in the twinkling of a bed-post. However, I shan"t lose sight of Sir Luke until I have settled my accounts with him. Hark ye, boy," continued he, addressing the postilion; "remain where you are; you won"t be wanted yet awhile, I imagine. There"s a guinea for you, to drink d.i.c.k Turpin"s health."
Upon which he mounted his mare, and walked her easily down the hill.
"And so that be d.i.c.k Turpin, folks talk so much about," soliloquized the lad, looking curiously after him; "well, he"s as civil-speaking a chap as need be, blow my boots if he ain"t! and if I"d had a notion it were he, I"d have pulled up at first call, without more ado. Nothing like experience--I shall know better another time," added he, pocketing the douceur.
Rushing swiftly down the hill, Luke tarried at the river"s brink, to sprinkle some of the cool element upon the pale brow of Eleanor. As he held her in his arms, thoughts which he fain would have stifled in their birth took possession of his heart. "Would she were mine!" murmured he.
"Yet no! the wish is unworthy." But that wish returned unbidden.
Eleanor opened her eyes. She was still too weak to walk without support, and Luke, raising her once more in his arms, and motioning Mrs. Mowbray to follow, crossed the brook by means of stepping-stones, and conducted his charge along a bypath towards the priory, so as to avoid meeting with the crew a.s.sembled upon the green.
They had gained one of the roofless halls, when he encountered Balthazar. Astonished at the sight of the party, the patrico was about to address the priest as an acquaintance, when his more orthodox brother raised his finger to his lips, in token of caution. The action pa.s.sed un.o.bserved.
"Hie thee to Sybil," said Luke to the patrico. "Bid her haste hither.
Say that this maiden--that Miss Mowbray is here, and requires her aid.
Fly! I will bear her to the refectory."
As Balthazar pa.s.sed the priest, he pointed with a significant glance towards a chasm in the wall, which seemed to be an opening to some subterraneous chamber. The father again made a gesture of silence, and Balthazar hastened upon his mission.
Luke led them to the refectory. He brought a chair for Eleanor"s support; but so far from reviving, after such attention as could be afforded her, she appeared to become weaker. He was about to issue forth in search of Sybil, when to his surprise he found the door fastened.
"You cannot pa.s.s this way," said a voice, which Luke instantly recognized as that of the knight of Malta.
"Not pa.s.s!" echoed Luke. "What does this mean?"
"Our orders are from the queen," returned the knight.
At this instant the low tone of a m.u.f.fled bell was heard.
"Ha!" exclaimed Luke; "some danger is at hand."
His heart smote him as he thought of Sybil, and he looked anxiously towards Eleanor.
Balthazar rushed into the room.
"Where is Sybil?" cried Luke. "Will she not come?"
"She will be here anon," answered the patrico.
"I will seek her myself, then," said Luke. "The door by which you entered is free."
"It is _not_ free," replied Balthazar. "Remain where you are."
"Who will prevent my going forth?" demanded Luke, sternly.
"I will," said Barbara Lovel, as she suddenly appeared in the doorway.
"You stir not, excepting at my pleasure. Where is the maiden?" continued she, looking around with a grim smile of satisfaction at the consternation produced by her appearance. "Ha! I see; she faints. Here is a cordial that shall revive her. Mrs. Mowbray, you are welcome to the gipsies" dwelling--you and your daughter. And you, Sir Luke Rookwood, I congratulate you upon your accession of dignity." Turning to the priest, who was evidently overwhelmed with confusion, she exclaimed, "And you too, sir, think you I recognize you not? We have met ere this, at Rookwood. Know you not Barbara Lovel? Ha, ha! It is long since my poor dwelling has been so highly honored. But I must not delay the remedy.
Let her drink of this," said she, handing a phial to Mrs. Mowbray. "It will instantly restore her."
"It is poison," cried Luke. "She shall not drink it."
"Poison!" reiterated Barbara. "Behold!" and she drank of the liquid. "I would not poison your bride," added she, turning to Luke.
"My bride!" echoed Luke.
"Ay, your bride," repeated Barbara.
Luke recoiled in amazement. Mrs. Mowbray almost felt inclined to believe she was a dreamer, so visionary did the whole scene appear. A dense crowd of witnesses stood at the entrance. Foremost amongst them was the s.e.xton. Suddenly a shriek was heard, and the crowd opening to allow her pa.s.sage, Sybil rushed forward.
_CHAPTER VII_
_MRS. MOWBRAY_
Well, go thy ways, old Nick Machiavel, there will never be the peer of thee for wholesome policy and good counsel: thou took"st pains to chalk men out the dark paths and hidden plots of murther and deceit, and no man has the grace to follow thee. The age is unthankful, thy principles are quite forsaken, and worn out of memory.
SHAKERLEY MARMION"S _Antiquary_.
Sybil"s sudden entrance filled the group that surrounded Miss Mowbray with new dismay. But she saw them not. Her soul seemed riveted by Eleanor, towards whom she rushed; and while her eye wandered over her beauty, she raised the braided hair from her brow, revealing the clear, polished forehead. Wonder, awe, devotion, pity, usurped the place of hatred. The fierce expression that had lit up her dark orbs was succeeded by tender commiseration. She looked an imploring appeal at Barbara.
"Ay, ay," returned the old gipsy, extending at the same time the phial; "I understand. Here is that will bring the blood once more into her pallid cheeks, and kindle the fire within her eyes. Give her of this."
The effect of the potion was almost instantaneous, amply attesting Barbara"s skill in its concoction. Stifled respiration first proclaimed Eleanor"s recovery. She opened her large and languid eyes; her bosom heaved almost to bursting; her pulses throbbed quickly and feverishly; and as the stimulant operated, the wild l.u.s.tre of excitement blazed in her eyes.
Sybil took her hand to chafe it. The eyes of the two maidens met. They gazed upon each other steadfastly and in silence. Eleanor knew not whom she regarded, but she could not mistake that look of sympathy; she could not mistake the tremulous pressure of her hand; she felt the silent trickling tears. She returned the sympathizing glance, and gazed with equal wonder upon the ministering fairy, for such she almost seemed, that knelt before her. As her looks wandered from the kindly glance of Sybil to the withered and inauspicious aspect of the gipsy queen, and shifted thence to the dusky figures of her attendants, filled with renewed apprehension, she exclaimed, "Who are these, and where am I?"
"You are in safety," replied Luke. "This is the ruined priory of St.
Francis; and those strange personages are a horde of gipsies. You need fear no injury from them."
"My deliverer!" murmured Eleanor; when all at once the recollection that he had avowed himself a Rookwood, and the elder brother of Ranulph, flashed across her memory. "Gipsies! did you not say these people were gipsies? Your own attire is the same as theirs. You are not, cannot be, the brother of Ranulph."
"I do not boast the same mother," returned Luke, proudly, "but my father was Sir Piers Rookwood, and I am his elder born."
He turned away. Dark thoughts swept across his brain. Maddened by the beauty of Eleanor, stung by her slights, and insensible to the silent agony of Sybil, who sought in vain to catch his eye, he thought of nothing but of revenge, and the accomplishment of his purposes. All within was a wild and fearful turmoil. His better principles were stifled by the promptings of evil. "Methinks," cried he, half aloud, "if the Tempter were near to offer the maiden to me, even at the peril of my soul"s welfare, I could not resist it."
The Tempter _was_ at hand. He is seldom absent on occasions like the present. The s.e.xton stood beside his grandson. Luke started. He eyed Peter from head to foot, almost expecting to find the cloven foot, supposed to be proper to the fiend. Peter grinned in ghastly derision.
"Soh! you would summon h.e.l.l to your aid; and lo! the devil is at your elbow. Well, she is yours."
"Make good your words," cried Luke, impatiently.
"Softly--softly," returned Peter. "Moderate yourself, and your wishes shall be accomplished. Your own desires chime with those of others; nay, with those of Barbara. _She_ would wed you to Miss Mowbray. You stare.
But it is so. This is a cover for some deeper plot; no matter. It shall go hard, despite her cunning, if I foil her not at her own weapons.
There is more mischief in that old woman"s brain than was ever hatched within the crocodile"s egg; yet she shall find her match. Do not thwart her; leave all to me. She is about it now," added he, noticing Barbara and Mrs. Mowbray in conference together. "Be patient--I will watch her."
And he quitted his grandson for the purpose of scanning more closely the manuvres of the old gipsy.
Barbara, meanwhile, had not remained inactive.