With Ring of Shield Part 5

thought I, as I hurried after him. But when I turned a corner in the corridor I learned the reason of his haste. There, a few paces down the hall, and retreating from me, but with Frederick gaining rapidly upon them, were Hazel and Mary, walking arm in arm, unconscious of their pursuers--for by this time they had two. I reached them almost as soon as did Harleston, so great was my anxiety lest I should be considered negligent in finding them. When the maidens, hearing the hasty steps behind them, turned and beheld us, both did utter little screams of surprise. Then Mary quickly recovered herself and said:--

"Oh, dear Cousin Walter, I am so glad to see thee safe returned." And then, as though less concerned, "And thee, Sir Frederick. I hope thou hast come through the journey well, even though thou didst not have one of those grand campaigns that you so glory in."

I left it to him to explain to her that we did have one of those glorious "campaigns," of which she so sarcastically spoke; for I did turn to greet the dearest maid which ever drew the breath of life.

"Walter, I am glad that thou hast returned safe," said she, after I had told her when we did arrive, and how we came to be returned before the others. "Thou knowest,"--although I did not--"I had such a fearful dream about thee."

"Almost a confession," thought I.

"Methought I saw thee attacked by foes hidden in ambush, and thou wert fighting desperately for thy life. Then, in battle, I saw thee struggling against fearful odds, and then you seemed to be unarmed, and at the mercy of your foes. But in this dream I did awake to find myself in a tremble of excitement, and glad that it was but a dream.

Yet it did trouble me, not to see what became of thee when thou wert in these great dangers; for I feared that mine awakening, ere I did see that which did happen, meant that thou wert killed."

"Well, Lady Hazel, thy dreams were true. Verily some angel did show unto thee the adventures I went through. Joyed am I, too, that thou wert kept in ignorance of my fate; for then thou hadst not been so pleased to see me now. And wert thou greatly troubled when thou didst see me beset by dangers?" And I drew a trifle closer unto her side.

"Art anxious to know?"

"Ay, Ay, so anxious, Lady Hazel," and I seized her pretty hand. She drew it quickly from my grasp, and motioned with her head in the direction of Mary and Harleston.

"Well, then," she said gently, "I was greatly troubled, for I knew not whether thou hadst been killed or no; and if thou wert dead I should then greatly miss one of my best friends," and her dark and beauteous eyes drooped, and she did seem to be greatly engaged in examining her dainty little slipper, as it nervously tapped the floor, and tempted me to drop on my knees and kiss that pretty foot. I was on the point of dropping on my knee and telling her how I did wors.h.i.+p her, when I did hear Mary t.i.tter behind me as though she had read my thought. It had ever been my misfortune to have someone, or something, prevent me from taking advantage of a golden opportunity, such as was this, when it did present itself.

Then Mary and Harleston strolled off down the corridor, and I thought I should have another chance to complete the story I had started so well that morning, some weeks before, in the park. But it was too late. My tongue would not put into words the thoughts that I was dying to express. So I cursed myself for a dumb idiot, and was compelled to postpone my declarations until Erato saw fit to untie my stammering tongue.

Hazel seemed amused at mine annoyance, and laughed and blushed in my gloomy face.

We strolled on and into the library and, as the others were there, we sat and talked and told the girls all about the campaign and our little adventures and our ride from Berwick, and then they did tell us everything that had happened at court whilst we were away, and which is generally known as court gossip and, as it could not interest you, my dears, I will not put it down.

"See, I did not lose the charm thou gavest me when I left," I said, as I drew it from its hiding-place, over my heart.

She noticed the locality in which it had been carried, and her color heightened as I coolly put it back in its place, after I had let her see it.

"Art not going to return it?" she asked in a tone which a.s.sured me that she did not wish me to.

"Oh! no, I cannot tell what dangers may yet beset me; so I must keep it still, that I may come safely through."

To this she raised no objection; so it stayed there till another day, of which I will tell ye later.

Now I think I hear some one say, as he doth read these lines:--"Was he not simple, not to see that Hazel loved him?" To this I reply in advance, by reminding him to look back over his own experience--if he hath been so fortunate as to have had one--and try to recall how he did act, under the same trying circ.u.mstances. Then, if his memory will be as fresh as is mine, he will remember the times when he was almost sure that his lady loved him; yet, was there not a most tormenting uncertainty, and a doubt that he might be over confident, and so, by speaking too soon, he feared he might lose all? This I know was mine experience, and I preferred, like a general with an uncertain force, to wait until I should find some traitor within the strong fortress that I was to take, and so make sure of victory by one short, quick stroke. I now felt that I was winning over part of her garrison; still did I prefer to make still more certain that I was not deceiving myself with false hope.

Nor you, ye ones which have yet to experience this most perplexing, and yet most delightful of engagements, be not too hasty in your judgment of one--not the least distinguished of your house--for when ye are placed in the position in which he here found himself, if you do not feel, or act, any more foolish than did I, ye may congratulate yourselves for having conducted the enterprise in the most advantageous manner. However, in this case--but there, I am getting ahead of my story.

When I look back from the mountain of peace and happiness, upon which I am now sitting, and across the vale of years gone by, to that other, sun-topped hill of youth, I do not regret that I am no longer young.

For in that valley, which separates the mountains, I see dark clouds, and storms, and armies marching and engaged in deadly contest. I hear the cheers of the living intermingled with the prayers and curses of the dying. Foul murders are being committed; dark plots being laid and executed by those which struggle in that dark and troubled valley. And through all this do I see that same group of young people, struggling with the rest. Another and grand soul hath been added unto their number; and their united trials seem, to my old eyes, to rank first in importance. Then, on the near side, those dark and heavy vapors, with which the depression is filled, are torn asunder by the united force of a giant arm betwixt two flas.h.i.+ng swords, and the five walk out and take their seats upon this glorious hill, which is the goal of all; and yet, which so few do reach, whilst wearing the fleshly garment.

CHAPTER VII

THE BALL AT THE CASTLE

About a week after our return to Windsor I learned that there was to be a grand ball given by the King, in honor of our victory over the Scots.

I at once found the girls and told them the good news.

"Ah!" cried Hazel; "will it not be delightful to be able to have some life at court, after all this quiet and monotony, with every one away and no music, but that which Mary and I do make for ourselves?" And she clapped her hands, and smiled and courtesied to me, as though I were her partner in the dance.

"Not a great compliment to me, nor to Sir Frederick neither, when thou dost say there is no one at court," said I; for I did not altogether relish Hazel's superabundance of delight at the prospect of the change.

But the dear one was in one of those teasing fits of hers; so I knew full well it was useless to say much.

The only answer she did vouchsafe to my remark was a provoking little toss of her pretty head. She looked so lovely as she skipped about the room, that even an over-exacting lover could not help but be good-natured; even though he did try to be otherwise.

Mary was equally joyed when she heard that we were to have the dance.

"But when is it to be?" asked Hazel, stopping suddenly in the midst of her solitary performance and joining Mary and me.

"This day week, and the Duke of Gloucester and most of the court will have returned by then; so we will have a lively time. But here doth come Sir Frederick; so, Mary, thou hadst better inform him and give him the first chance to pick out his dances." Mary blushed; but however, she did go and meet Harleston, at which both Hazel and I laughed heartily.

Indeed it was a goodly sight to see those two standing side by side; the one tall, handsome, and built in the mould of a slightly reduced Hercules; and the other, small, dainty, and lovely, as a sweet flower growing beside an oak. I could see by the way in which Mary was drawn to him that it would take but a word from him, and she would surrender.

And as for him,--well, he was hopelessly entangled in the silken meshes of love's all-powerful net from the first day on which he did lay eyes upon this beauteous lily-of-the-valley.

But why do I look to them for a picture? Had Harleston but cast his eyes in our direction (the which he did not) he should have beheld as great a contrast, and, to be modest, at least one as pleasing to the eye.

"And how many sets am I to have?" I asked of Hazel.

"Well, I shall consider, and take note of thy conduct, and, if it be good, I may give unto thee the second,--and the--"

"Nay, nay, by mine honour, I do insist upon having the first, and the second, and a great many more."

"Oh, Walter, such an appet.i.te as thou hast developed."

"But remember, I have been fasting for a long time."

Then she wrinkled her little snow-white forehead, and seemed weighing the matter very deliberately. "Well," she said, after she had appeared to consider at great length, "thou mayst have the first; but I will _not_ promise thee any more before the dance, and if I do like that one, mayhap I will give thee some others."

I knew full well what that meant; so I said no more, but made up my mind to have more when the time did come round. And the time soon did come; for in those days of happiness and youth the sun scarce seemed to stay in the heavens for more than an hour at a time; so quickly did those days of dreams pa.s.s by. And yet, though it may sound like a contradiction, the sun seemed ever to be s.h.i.+ning; for we had it in our hearts. Oh, had we but known the clouds that were to pa.s.s over,-- But there, I must draw the rein again, or I shall be telling the end of my story ere I shall have come unto it.

So the days flew past like sunbeams, and the evening when the great ball was to take place at length arrived.

Both Harleston and I had engaged the best tailor in London, and when we walked into the great audience hall that night there was not a soul in the place which could compete with us, for elegance of dress--except, perhaps, the Duke of Gloucester. And let me here put it down; that room contained all the best of fas.h.i.+on that English tailors could produce. The secret of our success lay in the fact that it was Gloucester's own tailor which did make our garments; he being not over busy whilst the Duke was absent in Scotland.

As the King (for some reason then unknown to us) had not yet arrived, the ladies and gentlemen, after having been presented to the Queen, were standing about, in groups of four or more, gossiping and making all manner of remarks as each of the guests arrived.

After we had been presented to her Majesty, and saluted the girls, we walked to the far end of the hall, where Gloucester, Buckingham, and a fellow by the name of Sir William Catesby, a lawyer, with whom I shall have to deal later on, were standing. The Prince was giving some instructions to the musicians as we came up, but when he saw us he turned, and in that voice, as smooth as the finest silk, he said:--"Ah!

Bradley, my dear friend, I am delighted to see thee here this evening, and thee, Harleston. I have heard how swift were my messengers, and I a.s.sure you both that it shall be none the worse for you that it was so."

We thanked his Grace for his pretty speech, in which, however, I could not help but detect some insincerity; but could not, at that time, imagine what his object could be--for this man ever did have one,--when he acted in this manner. However, I learned it later.

Just then the King did enter, leaning upon the arm of Lord Hastings.

He looked very pale and his magnificent form seemed tottering as though with age, and yet Edward was still a young man. I could scarce believe mine eyes, so greatly was he changed since last I had seen him. "If so short a time can work such a marvel, he must be nearing his end,"

thought I. Then Harleston's prophecy, when first I had met him, flashed through my mind, and I wondered if it were going to be fulfilled. "But yet, he may be suffering from some temporary attack, and it will soon pa.s.s off." Thus did I try to convince myself that all was well.