FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   204   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   >>  
rds." "Excellent," said Trenchard, and led the way through the shrubbery to the orchard. Ruth, reviving, looked up. Her glance met Mr. Wilding's; it quickened into understanding, and she stirred. "Is it true? Is it really true?" she cried. "I am being tortured by this dream again!" "Nay, sweet, it is true; it is true. I am here. Say, shall I stay?" She clung to him for answer. "And you are in no danger?" "In none, sweet. I am Mr. Wilding of Zoyland Chase, free to come and go as best shall seem to me. He begged the others to leave them a little while, and he led her to the stone seat by the river. He set her at his side there and told her the story of his escape from the firing-party, and of the inspiration that had come to him on the morrow to make use of the letter in his boot which Sunderland had given him for Monmouth in the hour of panic. Monmouth's cavalier treatment of him when he had arrived in Bridgwater had precluded his delivering that letter at the council. There was never another opportunity, nor did he again think of the package in the stressful hours that followed. It was not until the following morning that he suddenly remembered it lay undelivered, and bethought him that it might prove a weapon to win him delivery from the dangers that encompassed him. "It was a slender chance," he told her, "but I employed it. I waited in London, in hiding, close upon a fortnight ere I had an opportunity of seeing Sunderland. He laughed me to scorn at first, and threatened me with the Tower. But I told him the letter was in safe hands and would remain there in earnest of his good behaviour, and that did he have me arrested it would instantly be laid before the King and bring his own head to the block more surely even than my own. It frightened him; but it had scarcely done so, sweet, had he known that that precious letter was still in my boot, for my boot was on my leg, and my leg was in the room with the rest of me. "He surrendered at last, and gave me papers proving that Trenchard and I--for I stipulated for old Nick's safety too--were His Majesty's accredited agents in the West. I loathed the title. But.."--he spread his hands and smiled--"it was that or widowing you." She took his face in her hands and stroked it fondly, and they sat thus until a dry cough behind them roused them from their joyous silence. Mr. Trenchard was sauntering towards them, his left eye tucked farther under his hat than usua
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   204   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   >>  



Top keywords:

letter

 

Trenchard

 
Monmouth
 

Sunderland

 

Wilding

 

opportunity

 

surely

 

remain

 

fortnight

 

laughed


employed

 
chance
 
waited
 

London

 
hiding
 
instantly
 

arrested

 

behaviour

 

threatened

 

earnest


fondly

 

stroked

 

smiled

 

widowing

 

roused

 

farther

 

tucked

 

joyous

 

silence

 
sauntering

spread

 

surrendered

 
slender
 

papers

 

scarcely

 
precious
 

proving

 
stipulated
 

accredited

 
Majesty

agents

 

loathed

 

safety

 
frightened
 

danger

 

answer

 
Zoyland
 

begged

 

orchard

 
reviving