CHAPTER IX
A DISCOVERY
"Why did you do that?" It was Lady Elise who now spoke, lifting herhead haughtily to regard the new-comer, as she stepped toward him."Cross yourself, I mean?"
"This good fellow, my Lady, is surprised to see you here, and smallwonder he forgets his manners!" said the young man coolly, speaking forthe other. "But he is honest enough--and--intends no disrespect!"
"None whatever!" muttered the intruder, a thin, wizened, yet stillactive-looking person.
My lady did not reply; her gaze, in which suspicion had becomeconviction, again met the young man's, whose black eyes now gleamedwith a sudden, challenging light.
"With your permission, my Lady, I will speak with this fellow," hesaid, and abruptly strode from the tower; walked a short distance away,followed by the man, when he stopped.
"_Certes_, your tongue betrayed you that time, Sanchez!" he saidconfronting the other.
The man made a rough gesture. "_C'est vrai_!" regretfully. "But whenI saw you two together I thought I had seen a--" He stopped. "She isso like--"
"Nay; I don't blame you; the sight was certainly unexpected! I hadthought to come down and prepare you, but--'tis done!"
"And I knew what it meant." The old servant looked over his shouldertoward the tower.
"Call it magic!" with a short laugh.
"_Diablerie_!" muttered the other.
"Well, have your way! Why," abruptly, "did you not meet me here lastnight at high tide, as we had planned?"
"The priest came not in time; fearing he was watched, waited untilnight to leave his hiding-place at Verranch."
"And after missing me last night, you thought to find me here to-day?"
"I knew you were most anxious to see him; that upon him depended yourchance to undo some of his Excellency, the Governor's, knavery! And,then, to find you here with the daughter of the man who has wrought youso much wrong; robbed you of your lands--your right to your name!" Acloud shadowed the listener's bold brow. "I know not how it cameabout, Seigneur, but be assured, no good can come of it!"
From where she stood, at the distance to the tower, the Governor'sdaughter saw now the two men descend; she perceived, also, at a turn inthe path, coming up slowly, as one whose years had begun to tell uponhim, another figure, clad in black; a priest. This last person and theBlack Seigneur accosted each other; stopped, while the other man, whohad crossed himself at sight of her, drew aside. At length, somewhatabruptly, they separated, the priest and Sanchez going down the hilland the young man starting to walk up. Then quickly leaving theancient, circular structure for observation, she stepped toward thecliff, not far to the right; and in an attitude of as great unconcernas she could summon, waited.
Below the ocean beat around the rock, and her eyes seemed to haverested an interminable period on the dark surface of the water, when atlength she heard him; near at hand; directly behind. Still she did notstir; he, too, by the silence, stood motionless. How long? The littlefoot moved restlessly; why did he not speak? She knew he was lookingat her--the Governor's daughter who had inadvertently looked into aforbidden chamber; was possessed of dangerous knowledge.
Again she made a movement. When was he going to speak? It wasintolerable that he should stand there, studying, deducing! That she,accustomed to command; to be served; to have her way at court andMount, should now be judged, passed upon, disposed of, by--whom?Quickly she looked around; the flashing brown eyes met the steady blackones.
"Well?"
"The man will take you back." His manner was quiet; composed; implieda full cognizance of what she knew, and an absence of any furtherdesire to attempt to disguise the truth.
"Back! Where?" She could not conceal her surprise.
"To the Mount."
For the moment she did not speak; she had not known what toexpect--certainly not that.
"Why not?" A smile, slightly forced, crossed his face. "Does yourLadyship think I make war on women? Only, before your Ladyshipdeparts, it will be necessary for you to agree to a little condition."
"Condition?" She drew her breath quickly.
"That you will say nothing to incriminate him. He is an old servant ofmine; has broken none of the _laws_ of the land," with a somewhatcontemptuous accent, "works his bit of ground; pays _metayage_, and atax on all the fish he brings in. Only in a certain matter to-day hashe served me."
"You mean I must say nothing about meeting him? You?"
"For his sake!"
"And your own!"
"Mine?" He made a careless gesture. "I should not presume! Formyself I should exact, or expect, from your Ladyship no promise.To-night I shall be far away. But this good fellow remains behind;should be allowed to continue his peaceful, lowly occupation. I wouldnot have anything happen to him on my account."
"And if I refuse to promise?" she asked haughtily. "To enter into anycovenant with--you!"
"But you will not!" he said steadily. "Your Ladyship, for her ownsake, should not force the alternative."
"Alternative?"
"Why speak of it?"
"What is the alternative?" she demanded.
"If your Ladyship refuses to promise, it will be necessary for the manto return alone."
"You mean," in spite of herself, she gave a start, "you would makeme--a prisoner?"
"It should not be necessary."
"But you would not dare!" indignantly.
"Not dare! Your Ladyship forgets--"
"True!" with a scornful glance. After a pause: "But suppose I _did_promise? Are you not reposing a good deal of confidence in me?"
"Not too much!"
"I presume," disdainfully, "I should feel flattered in being trustedby--" She did not finish the sentence.
But the young man apparently had not heard. "I'll take the chance onyour own words," he added unexpectedly.
"My words?"
"That you are no telltale."
The girl started. "Telltale?" she repeated.
"You once told me you were not!"
"I--told you!" She stared at him.
"Told me you were no telltale," he repeated. "And--when Beppo lied,you told the truth--about a ragged vagabond of a boy."
"Beppo!" The look in her eyes deepened; cleared. "I remember now,"she said slowly. "You were the boy with the fish, who said he lived inthe woods. I met you while riding, and again that night, as a child,leaving for Paris; but I did not know, then, you would become--"
The young man's face changed. "An outlaw!" he said coolly.
"Yes; an outlaw," she repeated firmly. Angered by his unflinchinggaze, she went on: "Who dares not fly the flag of his king! Who daresnot come openly into any honest port!"
She ended, her brown eyes flashing. His own darkened; but he onlyremarked coldly; "My Lady, at any rate, dares much!"
"Oh, I've no doubt you don't care to hear--"
"From you!" He looked at her oddly, from the golden hair to the small,dainty foot. "From your Ladyship!" he repeated, as if amused. Aninstant he regarded her silently, intently; but his voice when atlength he again spoke was cool and slightly mocking: "My Lady speaks,of course, from the standpoint of her own world--a very pretty world!A park of _plaisance_, wherein, I can vouch for it, my Lady dances veryprettily."
She started; a flush of resentment glowed and faded on her cheek; aquestion his words suggested trembled on her lips.
"Why did you come to the beach that night of the dance? How dared you,knowing that if--"
"Why?" His eyes lost their ironical light. "Why?" he repeated; thenlaughed with sudden recklessness. "I wished to see your Ladyship."
"Me?" She shrank back.
"You!" he repeated, his gaze fastened on the startled, proud face."Though I looked not forward to a dance--with your Ladyship!" Theblack eyes glowed. "_Pardi_! It was worth the risk." A moment hewaited; then his manner changed. "I will leave your Ladyship now," hesaid quietly. "You will have opportunity to consider"-
-she did notanswer--"whether you will give me your promise, or not," he added, and,wheeling abruptly, walked away.
Some time later, in the fast-gathering darkness, from the cove a smallboat put out, with Sanchez, gloomy and sullen, in the stern; at thebow, the Governor's daughter. As the isle receded and the point ofland loomed bigger before them, the girl gazed straight ahead; but theman looked back: to the sands of the little cove, a pale simitar in thedragon-like mouth of the rock; toward the tower, near which he fanciedhe could see a figure, turned from them--seaward--where, far out, aship might just be discerned, a dim outline on the horizon.
The Lady of the Mount Page 9