CHAPTER XXX
THE BOWER BY YON BURNSIDE
And ever as he gazed at her the Earl of Douglas grew more and more inlove with the Lady Sybilla. There was no covert side through which aburn plunged downward from the steep side of Moorfoot, but theywandered it alone together. Early and late they might have been met,he with his face turned upon her, and she looking straight forwardwith the same inscrutable calm. And all who saw left them alone asthey took their way to gather flowers like children, or, as it mightbe, stood still and silent like a pair of lovers under the eveningstar. For in these summer days and nights bloomed untiringly the briefpassion-flower of William Douglas's life.
Meanwhile Sholto gritted his teeth in impotent rage, but had nothingto do save change guard and keep a wary eye upon the Chancellor, whowent about rubbing his hands and glancing sidelong as the copsesclosed behind the Earl of Douglas and the Lady Sybilla. As for theambassador of France, he was, as was usual with him, much occupied inhis own chamber with his servants Poitou and Henriet, and save whendinner was served in hall appeared little at the festivities.
Sholto wished at times for the presence of his father; but at others,when he saw William Douglas and Sybilla return with a light on theirfaces, and their eyes large and vague, he bethought him of MaudLindesay, and was glad that, for a little at least, the sun of loveshould shine upon his lord.
It was in the gracious fulness of the early autumn, when the sheaveswere set up in many a park and little warded holt about the Moorfootbraes, that William Douglas and Sybilla de Thouars stood together upona crest of hill, crowned with dwarf birch and thick foliaged alder--aplace in the retirement of whose sylvan bower they had already spentmany tranced hours.
The Lady Sybilla sat down on a worn grey rock which thrust itselfthrough the green turf. William Douglas stood beside her pulling ablade of bracken to pieces. The girl had been wearing a broad flat capof velvet, which in the coolness of the twilight she had removed andnow swung gently to and fro in her hand as she looked to the north,where small as a toy and backed by the orange glow of sunset, theCastle of Edinburgh could be seen black upon its wind-swept ridge. Thegirl was speaking slowly and softly.
"Nay, Earl Douglas," she said, "marriage must not be named to Sybillade Thouars, certainly never by an Earl of Douglas and Duke ofTouraine. He must wed for riches and fair provinces. His house isregal already. He is better born than the King, more powerful also.The daughter of a Breton squire, of a forlorn and deserted mother, thekinswoman of Gilles de Retz of Machecoul and Champtoce, is not forhim."
"A Douglas makes many sacrifices," said the young man withearnestness; "but this is not demanded of him. Four generations of ushave wedded for power. It is surely time that one did so for love."
The girl reached him her hand, saying softly: "Ah, William, would thatit had been so. Too late I begin to think on those things which mighthave been, had Sybilla de Thouars been born under a more fortunatestar. As it is I can only go on--a terror to myself and a bane toothers."
The young man, absorbed in his own thoughts, did not hear her words.
"The world itself were little to give in order that in exchange Imight possess you," he answered.
The girl laughed a strange laugh, and drew back her hand from his.
"Possess me, well--but marry me--no. Honest men and honourable likeEarl Douglas do not wed with the niece of Gilles de Retz. I hadthought my heart within me to be as flint in the chalk, yet now I prayyou on my knees to leave me. Take your thirty lances and your youngbrother and ride home. Then, safe in your island fortress of Thrieve,blot out of your heart all memory that ever you found pleasure in acreature so miserable as Sybilla de Thouars."
"But," said the young Earl, passionately, "tell me why so, my lady. Ido not understand. What obstacle can there be? You tell me that youlove me, that you are not betrothed. Your kinsman is an honourableman, a marshal and an ambassador of France, a cousin of the Duke ofBrittany, a reigning sovereign. Moreover, am not I the Douglas? I amresponsible to no man. William Douglas may wed whom he will--king'sdaughter or beggar wench. Why should he not join with the honourabledaughter of an honourable house, and the one woman he has ever loved?"
The girl let her velvet cap fall on the ground, and sank her facebetween her hands. Her whole body was shaken with emotion.
"Go--go," she cried, starting to her feet and standing before him,"call out your lances and ride home this night. Never look more uponthe face of such a thing as Sybilla de Thouars. I bid you! I warn you!I command you! I thought I had been of stone, but now when I see you,and hear your words, I cannot do that which is laid upon me to do."
William of Douglas smiled.
"I cannot go," he said simply, "I love you. Moreover, I will not go--Iam Earl of Douglas."
The girl clasped her hands helplessly.
"Not if I tell you that I have deceived you, led you on?" she said."Not if I swear that I am the slave of a power so terrible that thereare no words in any language to tell the least of the things I havesuffered?"
The Earl shook his head. The girl suddenly stamped her foot in anger."Go--go, I tell you," she cried; "stay not a day in this accursedplace, wherein no true word is spoken and no loyal deed done, savethose which come forth from your own true heart."
"Nay," said William Douglas, with his eyes on hers, "it is too late,Sybil. I have kissed the red of your lips. Your head hath lain on mybreast. My whole soul is yours. I cannot now go back, even if I would.The boy I have been, I can be no more for ever."
The girl rose from the stone on which she had been sitting. There wasa new smile in her eyes. She held out her hands to the youth whostood so erect and proud before her. "Well, at the worst, WilliamDouglas," she said, "you may never live to wear a white head, but atleast you shall touch the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,taste the fruitage and smell the blossoms thereof more than a hundredgreybeards. I had not thought that earth held anywhere such a man, orthat aught but blackness and darkness remained this side of hell forone so desolate as I. I have bid you leave me. I have told you thatwhich, were it known, would cost me my life. But since you will notgo,--since you are strong enough to stand unblenching in the face ofdoom,--you shall not lose all without a price."
She opened her arms wide, and her eyes were glorious.
"I love you," she said, her lips thrilling towards him, "I love you,love you, as I never thought to love any man upon this earth."