Forest Days: A Romance of Old Times

by G. P. R. James

  CHAPTER XXXIII.

  The grey twilight hung over the world when Richard de Ashby re-enteredthe outer court of the castle at Lindwell; but still he could perceivehorses saddled and dusty, attendants running hither and thither, armedmen standing in knots, as if resting themselves for a moment after ajourney, and every indication of the arrival of some party having takenplace during his absence. His first thought was, that the corpse musthave been found and brought back by some of the small bodies of PrinceEdward's troops, which were moving about in all directions; but he soonsaw that such an event was impossible, as he himself, or some of thoseabout him, must have met any party which had passed near the scene ofthe murder. The next instant, in going by one of the little groups ofsoldiers we have mentioned, he recognised the face of some of theretainers of the house of Ashby, and exclaimed, "What! has the LordAlured returned?"

  "Not half an hour ago, Sir Richard," replied a soldier; and Richard deAshby hurried like lightning into the hall. There was a coldness at hisheart, indeed, as he thought of meeting the man whose father's bloodwas upon his hand, and against whose own life he was devising schemesas dark as those which had just been executed. But he was most anxiousnevertheless to meet his cousin, ere he had conversed long with Lucy,and to give those impressions regarding the causes of the bloody deedwhich best suited his purposes.

  Alured de Ashby was not in the great hall, but Richard, without amoment's delay, mounted the great staircase to the upper chamber, whereHugh de Monthermer's last happy hour had been passed with Lucy. Therewere voices speaking within, but the kinsman paused not a moment; andopening the door, he found the sister weeping in the arms of herbrother. They had been sometime together; the first burst of sorrow, inspeaking of their father's death, had passed away; an accidental wordhad caused them to converse of other things connected therewith,indeed, but not absolutely relating to that subject, and the firstwords that met Richard de Ashby's ear were spoken by the Lord Alured.

  "Never, Lucy," he was saying--"never! Fear not, dear girl! I will neverforce your inclination. I will try to make you happy in your own way.As my poor father promised, so I promise too."

  Their dark kinsman saw at once that the proud and stubborn heart of hishasty cousin was softened by the touch of grief, and that he had made apromise which no other circumstances would have drawn from him, butwhich--however much he might regret it at an after period--would neverbe retracted.

  Lucy started on her cousin's entrance; and, why she knew not, but ashudder passed over her as she beheld him. He advanced towards them,however, with an assumption of frank and kindly sympathy, holding out ahand to each. But Lucy avoided taking it, though not markedly, andsaying in a low voice to her brother, "I cannot speak with any one,Alured," she glided away through the door which led to her ownapartments, leaving Richard de Ashby with all the bitter purposes ofhis heart only strengthened by what he had seen and heard. Alured tookhis cousin's hand at once, asking, "Have you brought in the body? Wherehave you laid him?"

  In a rapid but clear manner, Richard explained that the search had beenineffectual, and told all that had been done in vain for the discoveryof the corpse. After some time spent in conjectures as to what couldhave become of the body, the peasant who had first discovered it wascalled in, and questioned strictly as to what he had seen, and hisknowledge of the old Lord's person. His replies, however, left no doubtin regard to the facts of the murder; and when he was dismissed, Aluredturned, with a frowning brow and a bewildered eye, to his cousin,asking, "Who can have done this?"

  Richard de Ashby looked down in silence for a moment, as if almostunwilling to reply, and then answered, "I know of but one man whom hehas offended."

  "Who, who," demanded Alured, sharply. "I know of none."

  "None, but Hugh de Monthermer," said Richard de Ashby.

  "Hugh de Monthermer!" cried the young Earl.--"Offended him! Why he hasloaded him with favour. 'Twas his letter, telling me that he intendedto give our Lucy's hand to one of our old enemies, that brought me backwith such speed. Offended him! He is the last man that had cause ofcomplaint."

  "You know not, Alured--you know not all," cried his false cousin. "Farbe it from me to accuse Hugh de Monthermer behind his back. I have eversaid what I have had to say of him boldly, and to his face; and all Iwish to imply is, without making any accusation whatsoever, that I knowof not one man on earth whom your poor father has offended but Hugh deMonthermer."

  "And how offended him?" asked the young Earl.

  "By withdrawing his promise of your sister's hand," answered hiscousin. "'Tis but yesterday, upon some quarrel--I know not what--thathe who is now dead retracted every rash engagement of the kind, andtold him he should never have her. Lucy will tell you the same."

  "Ha!" cried Alured, knitting his brows thoughtfully--"Ha! But--no, no,no! To do him justice, Monthermer is too noble ever, to draw his swordupon an old man like that. His name was never stained with any lowlyact. He might be a proud enemy, but never a base one."

  "I dare say it is so;" answered Richard; "though I have seen some meanthings, too. Did he not avoid meeting you in arms, on quarrelconcerning my poor little paramour? But all this matters not; I bringno charge against him--'tis but suspicion, at the most. Only when Irecollect that yesterday your father crossed all his hopes, and thatGuy de Margan, Geary, and the rest who were with this poor Earl, toldme that there was a violent quarrel, with high and fierce words on bothsides, I may well say that he was offended--and, as far as I know, hewas the only one offended--by the good old man. Lucy will tell youmore, perhaps."

  "Stay!" cried Alured, "I will go and ask her."

  "Nay," rejoined his cousin, "I must away with all speed to Nottingham,to learn if aught has been heard of the body there. I will ask Guy deMargan and the others, what really passed when they were hereyesterday, and let you know early to-morrow."

  "Bring them with you--bring them with you said Alured.

  "I will," replied Richard; "but in the meantime, by your good leave, mylord. I will take some of your men with me, for I came alone, and amnot well loved, as you know, of these Monthermers."

  "Take what men you will," said the young Earl; "but yet I cannot thinkthey have had a hand in this. Good night, Richard--good night!"

  So prone is the mind of man to suspicion, so intimately are weconvinced in our own hearts of the fallibility of human nature at everypoint, that accusation often repeated will ever leave a doubt in themost candid mind. "Be thou as cold as ice, as chaste as snow, thoushalt not 'scape calumny," cried Shakspeare, addressing woman; and hemight have said to the whole race of man--"Armour thyself in the wholepanoply of virtue, cover thee from head to foot in the triple steel ofhonour, honesty, and a pure heart, still the poisoned dart of maliceshall pierce through and wound thee, if it do not destroy."

  In the heart of Alured de Ashby, there had never been a doubt that Hughde Monthermer was, in every thought and in every deed, as high, asnoble, and as true, as ever was man on earth; and yet--alas, that itshould be so!--the words of a false, base man, whom he himself knew tobe full of faults and detected in falsehoods, left a suspicion on hismind, in favour of which, his jealous hatred of the race of Monthermerrose up with an angry and clamorous voice.

  It was with such feelings that he now strode away to his sister'schamber; but ere he knocked at the door he paused thoughtfully,remembering that she was already grieved and shaken by the sad eventsof that evening. He called to mind that he was her only protector, heronly near relation, now; and a feeling of greater tenderness than hehad ever before suffered to take possession of his heart rose out oftheir relative position to each other, and caused him to soften histone and manner as far as possible.

  He knocked at the door, then, and went in, finding Lucy with her maids;the latter following mechanically the embroidery--on which one half awoman's life was then spent,--the former sitting in the window, farfrom the lamp, with her cheek resting on her hand, and a handkerchiefbeside her to wipe away t
he tears that ever and anon broke from thedark shady well of her long-fringed eyes.

  As gently as was in his nature to do, Alured sat down beside her, andquestioned her as to what had passed on the preceding day. She answeredvery briefly; for his inquiries mingled one dark and terrible stream ofthought with another scarcely less dreadful. She knew little, she said,as she had not been present. She was not aware why her father had soacted; but she acknowledged that he had withdrawn his consent to herunion with the man she loved, and had spoken words concerning him whichhad wrung and pained her heart to hear.

  So far, the tale of Richard de Ashby was confirmed; and Alured lefther, with a moody and uncertain mind, hesitating between new-bornsuspicions and the confidence which the experience of years had forcedupon him. He paced the hall that night for many an hour, ever and anonsending for various members of the household, and questioning themconcerning the transactions of the day. But he gained no farthertidings; and in gloom and sadness the minutes slipped away--the gaymerriment, the light jest, the tranquil enjoyment, all crushed out andextinct, and every part of the castle filled with an air of sorrow andanxiety; all feeling that a terrible deed had been done, and allinquiring--"What is to come next?"

  The last words of the young Earl, ere he retired to rest, were, "Lethorses be prepared by nine in the morning. I will to Nottingham myself.This must be sifted to the bottom."

  Ere he set out, however, Richard de Ashby, accompanied by severalgentlemen of the court, had reached Lindwell, and were met by Alured inthe hall, booted and spurred for his departure.

  "Ha! give you good day, sirs," he exclaimed, in his quick and impetuousmanner, "I was about to seek you, if you had not come to me."

  "This is a sad affair, my lord the Earl!" said Sir Guy de Margan."Little did I think, when I rode over hither the day before yesterdaywith your noble father, that it was the last time I should see himliving!"

  "Sad, indeed, sir--sad, indeed!" replied the young Earl. "But thequestion now is, 'Who did this deed?'"

  "Who shalt say that?" said Sir Guy de Margan.

  Alured de Ashby paused, and crushed his glove in his hand, wishing anyone to touch upon the subject of the suspicions which had beeninstilled into his mind, before he spoke upon them himself; but findingthat Guy de Margan stopped short, he said, at length, "May I ask you,Sir Guy, to tell me the circumstances which took place here during yourstay with my father yesterday? Any act of his is of importance to throwlight upon this dark affair."

  "I can tell you very little, my noble lord," replied Sir Guy. "When wearrived, we were told that the Lord Hugh de Monthermer was in the upperhall with your fair sister, the Lady Lucy. We all went thithertogether; but, as we came to the Lord Hugh with a somewhat unpleasantsummons to the presence of the King, your noble father, wishing tospare his feelings, desired us to wait without at the head of thestairs, while he went in to break the tidings. We soon, however, heardhigh words and very angry language on the part of the young lord. Thenthere was much spoken in a lower tone; and then Monthermer came nearerto the door, where he stopped, and said aloud, 'You will not fail, mylord?' Your father answered, in a stern tone, 'I will meet you at thehour you named. Fear not, I will not fail!'"

  Alured de Ashby turned his eyes upon his cousin with a meaning look,and Richard de Ashby raised his to heaven, and then let them sink tothe earth again.

  "I heard those words myself," said Sir William Geary, "and thought itstrange Monthermer should appoint a meeting when he was aware he wasgoing to a prison. It seems, however, that he well knew what he wasabout."

  "God send he met him not too surely!" burst forth Alured de Ashby, withhis eyes flashing.

  "After all, we may be quite mistaken," observed Richard, who knew thatnow, having sown the suspicions,--ay, and watered them, too,--it washis task to affect candour, and seem to repress them; as a man lops offbranches from a tree to make it grow the stronger. "Hugh de Monthermerwas always noble and true, and of a generous nature, as you well saidlast night, Alured."

  "But you forget," said Guy de Margan, "he was at this very time under astrong suspicion of a base treason, and had been seen speaking secretlyin the forest with three masked men unknown!"

  "Ha!" cried Alured de Ashby, seizing the speaker by the arm, and gazinginto his face, as if he would have read his soul. "Ha! three maskedmen?"

  "It is true, upon my life!" replied Guy de Margan.

  "Be calm--be calm, my dear cousin," exclaimed Richard de Ashby.

  "Calm!" shouted the young Earl--"Calm! with my father's blood cryingfor vengeance from the earth, and my sword yet undrawn!"

  "But listen," said Richard. "I have thought, as we came along, of afact which may give us some insight into this affair. Yesterdayevening, on my arrival here, ere any of us knew aught of your father'sdeath, the old hall porter told me, on my inquiring for him, that theEarl had gone forth alone, having received a letter brought by somepeasant boy. He mentioned the boy's name, for he seemed to know him,and therefore I ventured, as we passed the gates just now, to bid thewarder speak with the old man, and have the boy sent for with allspeed. 'Tis but right that we should know who that note came from."

  "Let the porter be sent for," cried Alured--"let the porter be sentfor."

  "I will call him," said Richard, and left the ball.

  In a moment after, he returned with the old man, followed by a youngclown of some thirteen years of age. The boy stayed near the door, butRichard de Ashby advanced with the porter, the latter bowing low to hislord as he came up.

  "Who brought the letter given to my father just before he went outyesterday?" demanded the young Earl, in a stern tone.

  "Dickon, the son of Ugtred, the swine-driver, my lord," replied theporter; "he lives hard by, and there he stands."

  "Did he say aught when he delivered it?" asked Richard de Ashby.

  "Nothing, Sir Richard," answered the porter, "but to give it to my lorddirectly."

  "Come hither, boy," cried Alured. "Now speak truly; who gave you thatletter?"

  "There were four of them, my lord," replied the boy; "but I never sawany one of them before."

  "Were they masked?" demanded Richard de Ashby.

  The boy replied in the negative; but his wily questioner, having putsuspicion upon the track, was satisfied, so far, and Alured proceeded.

  "What did they say to you?" he asked.

  "They bade me take it to the castle," replied the boy, "and tell thepeople to give it to my noble lord the Earl, as fast as possible."

  "Did they say nothing more?" demanded Alured de Ashby. The boy lookedround and began to whimper.

  "Speak the truth, knave," cried the young Earl, "speak the truth, andno harm shall happen to you; but hesitate a moment, and I'll hang youover the gate."

  "They told me," answered the boy, still crying, "that if I saw theEarl, I might say it came from the Lord Hugh de Monthermer, but not tosay so to any one else."

  The whole party looked round in each other's faces, except Richard deAshby, who gazed down upon the ground, as if distressed, though to saytruth, his heart swelled with triumph, for the words the men had usedhad been suggested by him at the last moment before he left them. Hewould not look up, however, lest his satisfaction should appear; andAlured set his teeth hard, saying, "This is enough!"

  "But one more question, my good lord," cried Sir William Geary, "Do youknow the Lord Hugh de Monthermer, boy?"

  "Yes, sir, very well," replied the boy; "I have seen him many a timewith my lord and my lady."

  "And was he amongst them?" asked Sir William Geary.

  "Oh, no," cried the boy, his face brightening up at once. "There wasone of them as tall, and, mayhap, as strong, but then he was blackabout the mazzard; and the other who was well-nigh as tall, had a wronglooking eye."

  "This serves no farther purpose," said the young Earl. "I must toNottingham at once. You, gentlemen, will forgive a son who has hisfather's death to avenge; but you must not quit my castle unrefreshed.Richard will play the host's part
while I am absent; so fare you well,with many thanks for your coming.--Ho! are my horses ready, there?"