"Not even mine?" She laughed as I reddened, and tapped me with her fan.
"If our young men do not turn this Scotch girl"s head with their philandering, send her to me and I will use her kindly."
"You would not seduce her from an old and almost helpless man who needs her?" I demanded.
"I find my servants where I can in such days as these," said she coolly.
"And there are plenty to care for old Douw Fonda in Caughnawaga, but only an accomplished wench like Penelope Grant would I trust to do my hair and lace me. Will you send this girl to me?"
"No, I won"t," said I bluntly. "I shall not charge myself with such an errand, even for you. It is not a decent thing you ask of me or of the wench, either."
"It is decent," retorted Claudia pettishly. "If she"s as pretty a baggage as is reported, some of our young fools will never let her alone until one among them turns her silly head. Whereas the girl would be safe with me."
"That is not my affair," I remarked.
"Do you wish her harm?"
"I tell you she is no concern of mine. And if she"s not a hopeless fool she"ll know how to trust the gentry of County Tryon."
"You are of them, too, Jack," she said maliciously.
"I am a plain farmer and I trouble no woman."
"You trouble me," she insisted sweetly.
I laughed, not agreeably.
"You do so," she repeated. "I would you had courage to court me again."
"Do you mean courage or inclination, Claudia?"
She gave me a melting look, very sweet, and a trifle sad.
"With patience," she murmured, "you might awaken both our hearts."
"I know well what I"d awaken in you," said I; "I"d awaken the devil. No; I"ve had my chance."
She sighed, still looking at me, and I awaited her further a.s.sault, grimly armed with memories.
But ere she could speak, Hiakatoo lurched to his feet and stood towering there unsteadily, his burning gaze fixed on s.p.a.ce.
Whereat Sir John, now very tight and very drowsy, opened owlish eyes; and Hare took the Seneca by the arm.
"If you desire to go," said he, "here are three of us ready to ride beside you."
Moucher, too, stood up, and so did Captain Watts; but they were not in their cups. Watts took Hiakatoo"s blanket from a servant and cast it over the tall warrior"s shoulders.
"The Western Gate of the Confederacy lies unguarded," explained Hare to us all, in his frank, amiable manner. "The great Gate Keeper, Hiakatoo, bids you all farewell. Duty calls him toward the setting sun."
All had now risen from the table. Hiakatoo lurched past us and out into the hallway; Hare and Moucher and Watts took smiling leave of Sir John; the ladies gave them all a courteous farewell. Hare, pa.s.sing, said to me:
"To any who enquire you can answer pat enough to make an end to foolish rumours concerning any meditated flight of this family."
"My answer," said I quietly, "is always the same: Sir William"s son has given his parole."
They went out after their Indian, which disturbed me greatly, as I could not account for Hiakatoo"s presence at Johnstown, and I was ill at ease seeing him so apparently in charge of three known Tories, and one of them a deputy of Guy Johnson.
However, I took my leave of Sir John, who gave me a wavering hand and stared at me blankly. Then I kissed the ladies" hands and went out to the porch where Billy waited with my mare, Kaya.
Lady Johnson came to the door as I mounted.
"Don"t forget us when again you are in Johnstown," she said.
Claudia, too, appeared and stepped daintily out on the dewy gra.s.s, lifting her petticoat.
"What a witching night," she exclaimed mischievously, "--what a night for love! Do you mark the young moon, Jack, and how all the dark is saturated with a sweet smell of new buds?"
"I mark it all," said I, laughing, "and, as for love, why, I love it all, Claudia,--moon, darkness, scent of young leaves, the far forest still as death, and the noise of the brook yonder."
"I meant a sweeter love," quoth she, coming to my stirrup and laying both hands upon my saddle.
"There is no sweeter love," said I, still laughing, "--none happier than the love of this silvery world of night which G.o.d made to heal us of the blows of day."
"Whither do you ride, Jack?"
"Homeward."
"To Fonda"s Bush?"
"Yes."
"Directly home?"
"I have a comrade----" said I. "He awaits me on the Mayfield Road."
"Why do you ride by Mayfield?"
"Because he waits for me there."
"Why, Jack?"
"He has friends to visit----"
"At Mayfield?"
"At Pigeon-Wood," I muttered.
"More gallantry!" she said, tossing her head. "But young men must have their fling, and I am not jealous of Betsy Browse or of her pretty sister, so that you ride not toward Caughnawaga----"