The King would not have spoken in this style to his pampered son, and the Duke of York himself dared not have done it. But no touch of uneasiness or self-distrust appeared in M. de Perrencourt"s smooth cutting speech. Truly he was high in Madame"s confidence, and, likely enough, a great man in his own country; but, on my life, I looked to see the hot-tempered Duke strike him across the face. Even I, who had been about to interfere myself, by some odd momentary turn of feeling resented the insolence with which Monmouth was a.s.sailed. Would he not resent it much more for himself? No. For an instant I heard his quick breathing, the breathing of a man who fights anger, holding it under with great labour and struggling. Then he spoke; in his voice also there was pa.s.sion hard held.
"Here, sir, and everywhere," he said, "you have only to command to be obeyed." Slowly he bent his head low, the gesture matching the humility of his words, while it emphasised their unwillingness.
The strange submission won no praise. M. de Perrencourt did not accord the speech so much courtesy as lay in an answer. His silent slight bow was all his acknowledgment; he stood there waiting for his command to be obeyed.
Monmouth turned once towards Barbara, but his eyes came back to M. de Perrencourt. Carford advanced to him and offered his arm. The Duke laid his hand on his friend"s shoulder. For a moment they stood still thus, then both bowed low to M. de Perrencourt, who answered with another of his slight inclinations of the head. They turned and walked out of the hall, the Duke seeming almost to stagger and to lean on Carford, as though to steady his steps. As they went they pa.s.sed within two yards of me, and I saw Monmouth"s face pale with rage. With a long indrawing of my breath I drew back into the shadow of my shelter. They pa.s.sed, the hall was empty save for myself and the two who stood there by the wall.
I had no thought now of justifying my part of eavesdropper. Scruples were drowned in excitement; keen interest bound me to my place with chains of iron. My brain was full of previous suspicion thrice magnified; all that was mysterious in this man came back to me; the message I had surprised at Canterbury ran echoing through my head again and again. Yet I bent myself to the task of listening, resolute to catch every word. Alas, my efforts were in vain! M. de Perrencourt was of different clay from his Grace the Duke. He was indeed speaking now, but so low and warily that no more than a gentle murmur reached my ears. Nor did his gestures aid; they were as far from Monmouth"s jovial violence as his tones from the Duke"s reckless exclaiming. He was urgent but courteous, most insistent yet most deferential. Monmouth claimed and challenged, M. de Perrencourt seemed to beseech and woo. Yet he asked as though none could refuse, and his prayer presumed a favourable answer. Barbara listened in quiet; I could not tell whether fear alone bound her, or whether the soft courtly voice bred fascination also. I was half-mad that I could not hear, and had much ado not to rush out, unprovoked, and defy the man before whom my master had bowed almost to the ground, beaten and dismayed.
At last she spoke a few hurried imploring words.
"No, no," she panted. "No; pray leave me. No."
M. de Perrencourt answered gently and beseechingly,
"Nay, say "Not yet," madame."
They were silent again, he seeming to regard her intently. Suddenly she covered her face with her hands; yet, dropping her hands almost immediately, she set her eyes on his; I saw him shake his head.
"For to-night, then, good-night, fairest lady," said he. He took her hand and kissed it lightly, bowing very low and respectfully, she looking down at him as he stooped. Then he drew away from her, bowing again and repeating again,
"For to-night, good-night."
With this he turned towards the stairs, crossing the hall with the same brisk, confident tread that had marked his entry. He left her, but it looked as though she were indulged, not he defeated. At the lowest step he paused, turned, bowed low again. This time she answered with a deep and sweeping curtsey. Then he was gone, and she was leaning by the wall again, her face buried in her hands. I heard her sob, and her broken words reached me:
"What shall I do? Oh, what shall I do?"
At once I stepped out from the hiding-place that had shown me such strange things, and, crossing to her, hat in hand, answered her sad desolate question.
"Why, trust in your friends, Mistress Barbara," said I cheerily. "What else can any lady do?"
"Simon!" she cried eagerly, and as I thought gladly; for her hand flew out to mine. "You, here?"
"And at your service always," said I.
"But have you been here? Where did you come from?"
"Why, from across the hall, behind the chair there," I answered. "I"ve been there a long while back. His Grace told me to wait in the hall, and in the hall I waited, though the Duke, having other things to think of, forgot both his order and his servant."
"Then you heard?" she asked in a whisper.
"All, I think, that the Duke said. Lord Carford said nothing. I was about to interrupt his Grace when the task was better performed for me.
I think, madame, you owe some thanks to M. de Perrencourt."
"You heard what he said?"
"The last few words only," I answered regretfully.
She looked at me for an instant, and then said with a dreary little smile,
"I"m to be grateful to M. de Perrencourt?"
"I know no other man who could or would have rid you of the Duke so finely. Besides, he appeared to treat you with much courtesy."
"Courtesy, yes!" she cried, but seemed to check herself. She was still in great agitation, and a moment later she covered her face and I heard her sob again.
"Come, take heart," said I. "The Duke"s a great man, of course; but no harm shall come to you, Mistress Barbara. Your father bade me have my services in readiness for you, and although I didn"t need his order as a spur, I may pray leave to use it as an excuse for thrusting myself on you."
"Indeed I--I"m glad to see you, Simon. But what shall I do? Ah, Heaven, why did I ever come to this place?"
"That can be mended by leaving it, madame."
"But how? How can I leave it?" she asked despairingly.
"The d.u.c.h.ess will grant you leave."
"Without the King"s consent?"
"But won"t the King consent? Madame will ask for you; she"s kind."
"Madame won"t ask for me; n.o.body will ask for me."
"Then if leave be impossible, we must go without leave, if you speak the word."
"Ah, you don"t know," she said sadly. Then she caught my hand again and whispered hurriedly and fearfully: "I"m afraid, Simon. I--I fear him.
What can I do? How can I resist? They can do what they will with me, what can I do? If I weep, they laugh; if I try to laugh, they take it for consent. What can I do?"
There is nothing that so binds a man to a woman as to feel her hand seeking his in weakness and appeal. I had thought that one day so Barbara"s might seek mine and I should exult in it, nay, might even let her perceive my triumph. The thing I had dreamed of was come, but where was my exultation? There was a choking in my throat and I swallowed twice before I contrived to answer:
"What can we do, you mean, Mistress Barbara."
"Alas, alas," she cried, between tears and laughter, "what can we--even we--do, Simon?"
I noticed that she called me Simon, as in the old days before my apostacy and great offence. I was glad of it, for if I was to be of service to her we must be friends. Suddenly she said,
"You know what it means--I can"t tell you; you know?"
"Aye, I know," said I, "none better. But the Duke shan"t have his way."
"The Duke? If it were only the Duke--Ah!" She stopped, a new alarm in her eyes. She searched my face eagerly. Of deliberate purpose I set it to an immutable stolidity.
"Already he"s very docile," said I. "See how M. de Perrencourt turned and twisted him, and sent him off crestfallen."
She laid her hand on my arm.
"If I might tell you," she said, "a thing that few know here; none but the King and his near kindred and one or two more."
"But how came you to know of it?" I interrupted.