i suppose i must have been sorely ill, for consciousness did not return to me for some time, and even when it did i was much bewildered and sadly weak. my memory played me many tricks, too, and i have been told since that my words were wellnigh meaningless. hugh boscawen sent for the doctor whose drugs had done me so much good the previous day, and on his arrival i was put to bed, and after having drunk a large[pg 387] quantity of the decoction he prepared, i became unconscious again. i suppose the stuff must have been a kind of sleeping draught, for although it was yet morning when i had been put to bed, daylight was altogether gone when i awoke. the room in which i lay was lighted by means of a candle, and by my side sat mr. inch the doctor.
"how long have i been asleep?" i asked.
"at the least twelve hours," and dr. inch laughed cheerfully.
"twelve hours!" i cried aghast.
"twelve hours, and verily i believe your life hath been saved thereby. i will now take away a little blood, and in a few days you will be well."
this he said in evident good-humour with himself, as though he had effected a wondrous cure.
"twelve hours!" i cried again; "then otho hath fifteen hours' start of me."
"i know not what you mean. my care hath been that you should have necessary rest and restoration. this you have had. you are much better now, are you not?"
"oh, i am all right," i said, sitting up in my bed; and indeed i felt quite refreshed and strong. "but where am i?"
"at restormel."
"oh yes, at restormel," and instantly i had grasped the whole situation. "and boscawen, where is he?"
"lord falmouth hath had many matters of importance to deal with; he went away before i came, but left word, saying he would if possible return to you this evening."
[pg 388]
"but did he seek to find otho killigrew; has he any knowledge of his whereabouts? does he know where——"
i stopped then, for i remembered that dr. inch must have been ignorant concerning the matter which lay so near my heart. still i could not refrain from asking many questions, although the doctor was able to give me but little satisfaction.
just as i had consented to be bled, and was making ready for the operation, hugh boscawen came into the room. he had evidently spent a busy day, for he looked much wearied, but expressed delight at seeing me so well.
"have you found them?" i asked, thinking of otho and nancy.
"they have all escaped, except one or two foolish varlets who know nothing about the business," he replied, mistaking the purport of my question. "but i do not despair. my men are scouring the country, and i have sent messengers to london with the news. and i have not forgotten you, trevanion; i have not forgotten you."
"but otho killigrew and mistress nancy molesworth, what of them?" i asked feverishly.
"i have heard nothing," was the reply, "nothing at all. i wish i could get him; he and that old hermit have been the brains of the whole matter. still, do not be anxious, trevanion; i will find him. he hath no friends in these parts, and therefore can have no hiding-place. the coast is being watched everywhere too."
"you do not know otho killigrew," i cried [pg 389]bitterly; "and it is no use telling me not to be anxious. as well tell a boat to sail steadily on a stormy sea."
"it is no use fretting. all that can be done shall be done. it should be easy to find him too, for we are all faithful to the king for many a mile around, and i have given strict orders."
at this my pulses started a-dancing again, for i remembered something of importance.
"how long hath it been dark?" i asked.
"but an hour or so."
"my lord, i must get to saddle again," i cried; "and i think, if you will accompany me, you will be able to arrest otho killigrew."
"good!" he cried, "but where, trevanion?"
"but master trevanion must not rise," cried the doctor. "i must take an ounce of blood from him, after which he must lie still for three days."
"i shall need all my blood," i cried eagerly, and in spite of all the doctor's persuasions i was soon on my feet again and ready for action.
"let me have some food," i said with a laugh, for i felt my own man again, and the thought of action eased my anxious heart.
food was speedily set before me, of which i partook heartily, as every man should who has work to do, and while i was eating i told hugh boscawen my plans.
"know you aught of peter trevisa?" i asked.
"but little," was his answer; "he is a man reputed to care for but little save his ugly son and his money bags."
"have you ever been to treviscoe?"
[pg 390]
"never."
"i have," i replied; "i believe otho killigrew is there. it is there he hath taken mistress nancy, i could swear it." and then i told him of the conversation i had heard between otho and young peter trevisa.
"there is naught in that," remarked hugh boscawen, shaking his head doubtfully.
"in itself there is but little," i answered, "but connected with all else which i have heard there is much"; and thereupon i told him of my suspicions.
"it is worth trying for, anyhow," remarked hugh boscawen. "i will accompany you to treviscoe. if he be there, it accounts for my inability to find him."
a little later we rode towards treviscoe, which as i have said was no great distance from restormel. we were well armed, and were also accompanied by several men, upon whose trustworthiness boscawen said he could rely.
"you have paid no heed to trevisa?" i asked of him as we rode along.
"no; peter trevisa hath in no way been under suspicion; besides, the place is so near restormel that i did not think there was any need. i naturally set my men farther afield."
"but the coast hath been watched."
"carefully."
at this my heart became heavy again, for i felt sure that otho killigrew could if he would devise plans whereby all hugh boscawen's followers could be outwitted. still i trusted that the two[pg 391] trevisas, once having mistress nancy in their midst again, would not let her go without much hard bargaining, for i had suspicions concerning otho's plans which will leak out presently.
"it will be well," i said presently, "if we enter treviscoe secretly."
"but that will be impossible."
"to me alone it might be; but not to you. you hold the king's commission. you can command, you can enforce threats, you can insist on your own method of entrance."
"true," he replied proudly.
"then i would suggest that you forbid the gatekeeper to communicate with the house concerning our entrance, and threaten him with a severe penalty if he disobeys. when we get to the house, command the servant to show us to the room where his master is—also with a threat, without letting any one know of our arrival."
"i understand. yes, it shall be done."
"we must surprise them. if he have time to think, they will outwit us. we must make no noise; we must enter the house unknown to its masters."
"you speak wisely, trevanion—perchance trevisa hath had more to do with treason than we wot of," and by this speech he betrayed the fact that he had inherited much of his father's love for arresting people concerning whom he had any suspicions.
when we came to the lodge gate, the man let us enter without any ado as soon as hugh boscawen had mentioned his name. i knew, too, by[pg 392] the fear expressed in his quavering voice that we need have no apprehensions concerning him. our entrance to the house, too, was effected just as easily. we crept silently along the grass which bordered the way, and when i saw that no light shone from the front windows i surmised that old peter, if he was within, was in the library, which was situated in a wing of the building in the rear of the main structure. this made our work all the easier. i knocked lightly, hugh boscawen standing by my side.
an old serving-man opened the door, and gave a start of fear as soon as he saw who we were, but my companion quickly brought him to reason; indeed so great was his reverence for the name and power of the boscawens that he raised no protest whatever when he was told what he desired him to do.
"utter no word to any one concerning our presence," said hugh boscawen impressively. "show us the door of the room where your master is, and depart. these men of mine will stand here within call."
the old serving-man tremblingly acquiesced.
"hath your master visitors?" continued hugh boscawen, still in a whisper.
"he hath, my lord; but he is loyal, my lord—loyal. neither my master nor his son hath left the house these two days."
i knew this to be false; all the same young peter might have met otho killigrew without the man knowing anything about it.
"who are his visitors?"
[pg 393]
"i do not know, my lord."
"trevanion," whispered boscawen to me, "i must serve the king. i must find out if there be any treason about."
"how?"
"all means are honourable in the service of the king," he replied. "we must listen."
i saw his eyes gleam with eagerness; if ever man was alert to his chances, it was he. i verily believe that nothing rejoiced him more than to punish treason.
we therefore crept noiselessly to the door, and soon my nerves were all a-twitch with excitement, for i heard otho killigrew's voice, and he was mentioning my own name, and i quickly judged that we had come at an opportune time.
"i never wished to be harsh to a lady," said otho, "for that reason i allowed your maid to accompany you this morning; when i took you, i am afraid by guile, and somewhat unceremoniously, from the house you have thought to be yours. but all is fair in love and war. i have also allowed you to be alone throughout this day, but the time is come for the settlement of matters, and this time roger trevanion will not be able to help you."
"and is it true, that is—what you told me about him?"
it was my dear nancy's voice, husky and tearful, which spoke; i gripped my sword-hilt, and with difficulty kept myself from bursting open the door. hugh boscawen held my arm, however, and motioned me to be still.
[pg 394]
"to quote the great bard," replied otho in a mocking voice, "he is gone 'to that country from whose bourne no traveller returns.' trevanion sleeps with his fathers."
"killed by your hand?"
"nay cousin, not by my hand; by another's."
"like richard, the murderous king, you hire your murderer, i suppose."
"no; trevanion died in a fair fight, died by my brother benet's hand."
"in fair fight, you say. where? when?" and her voice was tremulous.
"in fair fight; but we need not enter into details now. he is dead, and i am suspected to have left the country with the others who led this business—spoiled, i will admit, through trevanion. but the end is not yet, and he will not spoil our plans next time. but there are other matters more important to me. my lungs pine for the air of france, and i ask you to come with me."
"no, i will not go with you."
"think again, my cousin; for thus i will call you, although we are not related by law. we catholics have always suffered—we suffer still. so unjust are the english laws to catholics that you to-day have according to the law no name, no home."
"then why do you persecute me?"
"because i love you."
"i do not believe it. if you loved me, you would leave me in peace."
"i do love you, i offer you my hand in marriage. i offer you my name—an old name."
[pg 395]
i heard a movement in the room, there was a sound like that of the rustling of a woman's dress. then i heard my dear maid's voice again.
"otho killigrew," she said, "i know not what truth there is in what you say. i know you to be a liar. again and again have you tried to deceive me. but i do not believe you would offer to marry me if i were nameless and penniless. you—you are too base."
"you mistake me, misjudge me, mistress nancy," said otho slowly. "as i tell you, roger trevanion is dead; he died before sunrise this morning by my brother benet's hand. and the other matter is also true. you have no name. let the fact become known, and you would be a wanderer, a vagrant in the county, for none would give you a home. all children born out of wedlock are despised. but i love you, i would save you from being disgraced; i desire to give you my name, i will make you my wife. true, when i sought your hand i thought you were rightfully the owner of restormel; but peter trevisa hath proved to me beyond dispute that you have no shadow of claim to it. but i love you!"
"this is true, my fair lady," and i detected old peter's voice; "it is true. i have told you so before, but he!—he!" and he giggled feebly, "you know what you said."
"and if i marry otho killigrew, you will keep the matter a secret, i suppose."
"i would do much for otho killigrew. not that i agree with his views on politics; oh no! 'long live king george,' i say, but i would serve[pg 396] him in this matter, and if you wedded him i would say nothing."
"and what price would he pay you for this?"
"he, he!" and again the old wretch laughed feebly, "there would be no price. of course not. it is simply an arrangement—a private arrangement between two gentlemen. you see, my dear lady, i have proofs that your father was not legally married. still it is morally yours, and if you marry my friend, master otho killigrew, no one ever need to know that you are base-born."
he uttered the last words in such a tone as must have wounded my dear maid sorely; but she spoke steadily and clearly for all that.
"look you," she replied, "your words may be true; i am afraid they are. well, tell all you can, proclaim to the world that i am base-born in the eyes of the law. that threat shall not make me do what you ask. if i am penniless, i am penniless; but rather than marry otho killigrew i would beg my bread from door to door, i would earn my living as a servant in a farm kitchen."
"it is hard to use force, my fair cousin," said otho, "but i am not beaten easily. when i set my mind upon a thing,—well, i generally get it." he hesitated again, and then went on still more slowly. "you see, i generally prepare my plans carefully beforehand. i have done so in this case. i knew your character, and i anticipated your answer. my friend trevisa is a very religious man, and hath a friend who is a clergyman. it is true he doth not bear a very high character, but that is because he hath been sadly [pg 397]misunderstood. still, he is a very obliging man, and has on many occasions rendered valuable service. at great risk to myself i have brought him here to-night. he will overlook the little matter of your consent, and marry us at once. you see, i love you, and—well, i desire the rents of restormel estate; i need them badly in fact."
"but i will not wed you."
"i say in this case, the reverend mr. winter will overlook the little matter of your consent. it is true he is not of the true faith, but i shall be willing to overlook that little matter in this case."
"then i will proclaim my shame to the world. i will tell every one what you have told me."
"that doth not matter. peter trevisa is the only one who holds the secret of this matter. he will at the proper time deny all knowledge of it. you see how perfectly plain-spoken i am." then my dear maid spoke again, and her voice was indeed sad.
"i am all alone," she said, "i have no friends. you are many against one poor girl. very well, do your worst, i will not do one thing that you say. oh, you cowards, you poor miserable cowards! if i were a man you would not dare act so. and i do not believe any one calling himself a clergyman would do as you say; but even if he will, i will resist you to the last, and i will die by my own hand rather than"—then i heard her sob bitterly.
i could bear no more. if this were a farce, i could not allow it to continue further; if they [pg 398]intended carrying out their threats, it was time to interfere; even hugh boscawen no longer held me back. i put my shoulder to the door and burst it open.
without ado, hugh boscawen went across the room and placed his hand on otho killigrew's shoulder.
"otho killigrew, i arrest you in the king's name," he said.
otho did not lose his presence of mind, but turned coolly towards him.
"why, my lord?" he said, "what have i done to be arrested? i defy you to prove aught against me."
"that remains to be seen," he said; then he gave a whistle, and immediately his men entered.
peter trevisa and his son had started to their feet and were staring at us, but were at first too frightened to speak; near them was a man dressed as a minister of the gospel, and there was no need to take a second look at him to know that he was a disgrace to his calling. doubtless he was one of those outcast clergymen who were notorious in that day, and who would for a fee perform the marriage ceremony under the most outrageous circumstances. the country had for a long time been disgraced by its marriage laws, for thereby all sorts of outrages had been committed. young squires owning much property had been dragged into inns, drugged, or made drunk, and had then been married even to fallen women on the streets. it is true that such scenes, though common in london, had not so often happened in cornwall;[pg 399] at the same time, some in our county had been forced into unholy alliances. all this became impossible a few years after, when lord hardwick's famous marriage act was passed; but at that time, had i not come upon the scene, i believe that otho killigrew, in spite of my dear maid's continuous refusal, would have used means to have gone through an unholy farce, and this vile clergyman's signature would have made it legal.
not far from the rest otho killigrew had stood, and as i entered i had seen the look of cruel determination on his face, the look which made his brothers fear him and which told them that he would surely gain his ends. doubtless he had prepared for all exigencies, and had bargained with the two trevisas, for they, after failing to gain their way with nancy, would be willing to sell their secret to the highest bidder.
my dear maid's face had been turned from me, but i saw she stood upright before them, and was in an attitude of defiance, even although she stood helpless and alone.
she had not seen me; her eyes had been turned towards hugh boscawen, who had gone straight to otho killigrew; neither, i think, had any one noticed me. doubtless they all fancied i was dead, killed by benet killigrew's hand, even as otho had said.
"it is a dangerous thing to arrest the king's faithful subjects," went on otho quietly, although his lips twitched nervously, "and i am faithful. true, evil reports may have been circulated about[pg 400] me; but who is the man who can prove treason against me? no man, my lord."
"there is one, otho killigrew," i said quietly.
he stared like one who had seen a ghost, and stammered incoherently, but i paid but little heed to him, for my dear maid had heard my voice, and with a cry of joy and hands outstretched came towards me.
