CHAPTER XV.
Though heaven's inauspicious eye Lay black on love's nativity, Her eye a strong appeal shall give; Beauty smiles, and love shall live.--Crashaw.
When Dr. Butts had left them, the knight would fain have excusedhimself from accompanying his old tutor on the proposed visit. He hadencountered many a danger in the "imminent deadly breach," and thebattle-field, with as light a heart as that which beats in beauty'sbosom when she thinks of sunning herself in admiring looks at the nextball; but now his courage failed him at the thought of meeting theperson he loved best, and so much did his spirit quail, that "youmight have brained him with a lady's fan."
Dr. Wilbraham, however, pressed, and insisted so intently upon thepleasure it would give Lady Constance to see him after his escape, andthe rudeness which might be attributed to him if he did not wait uponher soon, that he at length consented to go; and shortly after thephysician had left them they themselves took their way towards thedwelling of the lady. In this happy age, when choice is as free asthought, we can hardly imagine the generous nobility of Englandsubmitting to yield the selection of a companion for life to thecaprice of a king or of his favourite; yet such was frequently thecase in the times whereof we write; and dangerous would it have beento have opposed the will of the despotic Henry, or his tyrantminister, when the whim of the one, or the interest of the other, ledthem to seek the union of any two families. It is true that the sadexample of Lady Arabella Stuart was not yet before their eyes; butstill, the arbitrary power of the king was well enough established tojudge of what he might do, and few would have been found bold enoughto assert their liberty of choice in opposition to his command. Nor atthat time was Wolsey's will less potent than the king's; so that, tothe mind of the young knight, the marriage of Lady Constance with LordDarby seemed fixed beyond recall.
There was, however, something in all that the old tutor said of heranxiety respecting his fate, joined with a certain tenderness that hehad felt in her manner towards himself, and the words she hadinadvertently let drop respecting the fame he had acquired inFlanders, that gave a vague but delightful feeling of hope to hisbosom; and while walking on with Dr. Wilbraham, there was stillamongst the wild confusion of his thoughts a strange sort of dreamyplan for winning her yet: the buoyancy of youthful expectation thatwould not be depressed, like a child's boat of cork, still risingabove the waves that had overwhelmed many a goodlier vessel.
"If I dared but think she loved me," thought Sir Osborne, "I shouldfear nothing;" and he felt as if his single arm could conquer a world.But then came the remembrance, that as an equivalent for her richlands and lordships, he had nothing, absolutely nothing! and with asigh he entered the house, which Wolsey had taken care to provide forhis fair ward as near his own palace as possible.
Most doors in that day standing open, Dr. Wilbraham, whose sacredcharacter gave him much freedom of access, took no pains to callservant or attendant to announce them; but leading the way up thenarrow winding stairs, opened the door at the end of the flight, andbrought Sir Osborne into a large room, wherein were sitting several ofthe young lady's women, occupied in various tasks of needle-work andembroidery. One of these rose, and in silence gave them entrance to achamber beyond, into which the clergyman conducted his former pupil,without even the ceremony of announcing him.
Lady Constance, at the moment, was seated somewhat listlessly on apile of oriental cushions, holding her arms extended, while Dr. Buttskept his hand upon her pulse. She was dressed in white, after the modeof the French of that day: the upper part of her robe, except thesleeves, which were large and floating, fitting close to her figureround the waist and shoulders, but falling back, just above the bosom,into a beautiful standing ruff, or fraise, as the French termed it, offine Italian lace. The skirt of the robe was wide and loose, and,dividing at the girdle, showed part of a satin dress beneath, as wellas the beautiful small foot and delicate ankle, which, hanging overthe edge of the cushions, indicated, fully as much as the heaviness ofher eyes, the languor of sickness and want of rest. A few yards behindher stood her waiting-woman, who remained in the room, fully as muchin the capacity of duenna, as for the purpose of serving her mistress.
As Lady Constance did not raise her head when the door opened,thinking that it was some of the domestics who entered, the eyes ofthe waiting-maid were those that first encountered Sir Osborne; and asshe bore him no small goodwill for having given up with such alacritythe tapestry chamber at the inn to herself and lady, immediately onperceiving him she burst forth with a pleasurable "Oh dear!"
Lady Constance looked up, and seeing who entered, turned as red asfire, then pale, then red again; and starting up from the cushions,drew her hand suddenly away from Dr. Butts, advanced a step,hesitated, and then stood still.
"Umph!" muttered the physician, "it's a bad business."
"Oh, Sir Osborne Maurice!" said the lady, her eyes sparkling withpleasure, although she struggled hard to compose herself, to seemdisembarrassed, and to hide the busy feelings at her heart; "I am mostdelighted to see you safe; for indeed I--that is, Dr. Wilbraham--beganto be very seriously alarmed; and though he told me there was nodanger, yet I saw that he was very much frightened, and--and I hopeyou got away easily. Will you not take that seat?"
The young knight took the chair to which she pointed, and thanked herfor the interest and kindness she had shown towards him, with somedegree of propriety, though at first he felt his lip quiver as hespoke; and then he fancied that his manner was too cold andceremonious; so, to avoid that he made it somewhat too warm andardent, and in the end, finding that he was going from one extreme tothe other, without ever resting at the mean, he turned to Dr. Butts,and said with a sort of anxiety, which went thrilling to the heart ofLady Constance, that he hoped he had not found his patient really ill.
"Indeed I did though!" answered the physician; "a great deal worsethan I had expected, and therefore I shall go directly and tell mygood lord, the reverend father cardinal, that the lady must be kept astranquil as possible, and as quiet."
"Nay, nay!" said Lady Constance; "I am not so ill, indeed, my goodphysician; I feel better now. However, you may go to my lord cardinalif you will; but I really am better."
"Umph!" said Dr. Butts; "now _I_ think you are worse. But tell me,lady, why do you quit the habits of your country, to dress yourselflike a Frenchwoman?"
Lady Constance smiled. "Do you not know," said she, "that I am aFrench vassal? Do you not know that all the estates that belonged tomy mother, of the Val de Marne and Boissy, are held from the Frenchcrown?"
"Go and see them, lady," said Dr. Butts; "the French air would suityou better than the English, I've a notion; for a year or two, atleast."
"Nay, Dr. Butts," said Sir Osborne; "why deprive England of LadyConstance's presence? There are so few like her," he added, in anunder-voice, "that indeed we cannot spare her."
Lady Constance raised her eyes for an instant to his face: they methis, and though it was but for a moment, that look was sufficient todetermine his future fate. A thousand such looks from Lady KatrineBulmer would have meant nothing, from Lady Constance de Grey that onemeant everything, and Sir Osborne's bosom beat with renewed hope.True, the same obstacles existed as heretofore; but it mattered notNothing, he thought, nothing now could impede his progress; and hewould dare all, defy all, win her, or die.
Nor in truth was the heart of Lady Constancy de Grey less lightened,although she still felt that trembling fear which a woman, perhaps,does not wholly lose for long, long after the lips of the man sheloves have made profession of his attachment; yet still she was almostsure that she was loved. There had been something in Darnley's manner,in his agitation, in his anxiety about her, in his very glance, far,far more eloquent than words; and Lady Constance's certainty that heloved her was more, perhaps, a sensation of the heart than aconviction of the mind: she felt that she was loved.
While these thoughts, or feelings, or what you will, were busy in thebosom of each, a servant entere
d, and with much more ceremony than thegood chaplain had used to usher in the young knight, announced thatLord Darby waited in the ante-chamber to inquire after her ladyship'shealth.
"Bid him come in," said the young lady, and in a moment after, SirOsborne had his rival before his eyes.
He was a slight, elegant young man, dressed with great splendour ofapparel, and possessed of that sort of calm, easy self-possession, andgay, nonchalant bearing, that made the knight instantly conceive aviolent inclination to cut his throat.
"Good morrow, my fair cousin!" cried he, advancing: "good morrow,gentles all; God gi'ye good morrow, Mrs. Margaret," to the waitingwoman; "what, have you been standing there ever since I left youyesterday?" (The woman tossed her head pettishly, much to the younglord's amusement.) "Gad! you must do like the hens, then: stand uponone leg while you rest the other. But say, my fair cousin, how dostthou do?"
"I am not well, my lord," replied the lady, "at least, so Dr. Buttswould fain have me believe, and he says I must have quiet; so, by yourleave, I will not have you quarrel with my woman, Margaret, as you didyesterday."
"'Faith, not I," answered he; "I love her dearly, bless the mark! Butcousin, his reverend grace the cardinal commends him, by your humbleslave, to your most sublime beauty, and adviseth (that is, you know,commandeth) that you should betake yourself, for change of air (whichmeans for his pleasure and purposes), to the court at Greenwich, towhich you are invited by our royal mistress and queen. And if itseemeth fit to you (which would say, whether you like it or not) hewill have his barge prepared for you to-morrow at noon."
"Present my thanks unto the very reverend father," replied LadyConstance, "and say that I will willingly be ready at the hour henames."
"Nay, if you are so sweetly obedient to all his commands," said LordDarby, more seriously, "'faith, Constance, our plan of yesterday willfall to the ground; for I cannot be rude enough to take it all onmyself." Then darting off into a thousand other subjects, the youngpeer laughed, and spoke with light facility of various indifferentmatters, while Dr. Butts looked on, keenly observing all that passed;and Sir Osborne bent his eyes sternly upon the ground, biting his lipand playing with the hilt of his sword, more irritated, perhaps, withthe confident gaiety of his rival than he would have been with a moreserious and enthusiastic passion, and certainly not appearing toadvantage where he wished most to please.
"That sword, I think, must be of Spanish mounting," said Lord Darby,at length turning calmly towards the knight.
"Sir!" replied Sir Osborne, raising his eyes to his face.
"I asked whether that sword was not mounted in Spain, sir knight?"said Lord Darby, quietly. "Will you let me look at it?" and he heldout his hand.
"I am not in the habit, my lord," replied Sir Osborne, "of giving myweapon out of my own hands; but in answer to your question, it wasmounted in Spain."
"I never steal folk's swords!" said the peer, with the sameimperturbably nonchalant air; and then turning to Dr. Wilbraham, hewent on: "Dear Dr. Wilbraham, do let me see that book you talked ofyesterday; for as you go to Greenwich to-morrow, I shall never beholdany of you again, I am sure."
The good chaplain, who had remained silent ever since he had been inthe room, not at all understanding what was the matter between LadyConstance and the young knight, although he evidently saw that theyhad from the first been both agitated and embarrassed, now rose, andwent to search for the book which Lord Darby required, very willing toget away from a scene he did not in the least comprehend. To make wayfor him, however, Sir Osborne raised his cap and plume, which hadhitherto lain beside him; and as he did so, the sapphire ring that hadbeen given him by Lady Katrina Bulmer met the eye of Lord Darby, andinstantly produced a change in his whole demeanour. His cheek burned,his eye flashed, and, starting upon his feet, he seemed as if he wouldhave crossed over towards Sir Osborne; but then recovering himself, herelapsed into his former somewhat drawling manner, took leave of LadyConstance, and, without waiting for Dr. Wilbraham's return, left theapartment. A moment after, the physician also rose, in his usual,quick, precipitate manner, saying that he must depart.
"But, doctor! doctor!" cried Mrs. Margaret, the waiting-woman, seeinghim proceeding towards the door, "you have not told me how I am tomanage my mistress."
"I can't stop! I can't stop!" said the physician, still walking on outof the room. "What is it! What is it?"
"Nay, but, doctor, you must tell me!" cried she, running after him."Indeed, I shall not know what to do with my lady." Still the doctorwalked on, giving her, however, some necessary directions as he went,and Mrs. Margaret following for a moment, left the two lovers alone.
Darnley felt that it was one of those precious instants which, oncelost, rarely if ever return; but an irresistible feeling of anxietytied his tongue, and he could but gaze at Lady Constance with a lookthat seemed to plead for pardon, even for what he felt. The fair girltrembled in every limb; and as if she knew all that was passing in hismind, dared not look up but for a single glance, as she heard the lastwords hang on the physician's lip, as he began to descend the stairs.
Darnley raised the glove that lay beside her. "May I--may I have it?"said he.
"Oh, Darnley!" she replied; and happy almost to delirium, he placedthe glove in his bosom, and pressed an ardent kiss upon her hand.
"Go!" cried she; "for heaven's sake, go if you love me! We shall meetagain soon."
The knight obeyed, almost as agitated as herself; and passing out ofthe room just as Mrs. Margaret entered, he followed Dr. Butts, whosesteps he heard descending the stairs before him.