The Sapphire Cross Part 38

"No," she answered, in the same tone, as she bent down towards him.

"Please--my first request--for my sake, Mr Norton, do not let there be any quarrel."

"I will do my best to avoid it," said Brace, with a quiet, re-a.s.suring smile; when, apparently enraged by the understanding which appeared to exist, but really nerved thereto by the words let fall that morning by Sir Murray, Lord Maudlaine strode fiercely in front of Brace, who, however, stood coolly and unflinchingly before him.

"Look here!" exclaimed his lords.h.i.+p. "Once more I say this sort of thing won't do! Are you listening to what I say?"

"Yes," said Brace, quietly. "I am listening."

"Then, look here: you've been warned times enough, and I shall put up with no more of it! Now go; and I warn you that if ever again you dare to speak to Miss Gernon, or to intrude upon her with your insolent attentions, I'll--I'll--I'll horsewhip you!"

These last words seemed to be forced from him by an effort; when, pale with anger at being so addressed in the presence of Isa, Brace took a step towards the Viscount, with his fists clenched, and his teeth set upon his upper lip. But at that instant, when a collision seemed imminent, an e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n of fear took Brace again to Isa's side.

"Do not be afraid," he whispered, with the anger fading out of his countenance. "Forgive me for my thoughtless pa.s.sion." He laid his hand upon hers, pressing it upon the pommel of the saddle, as he gazed up in her face. "This is rather hard to bear; but I will try."

"Confound you! are words of no use whatever?" exclaimed his lords.h.i.+p angrily. And at the same moment the hunting-crop was raised, whistled through the air, and descended heavily upon Brace Norton's shoulders, causing him to start as if stung by some venomous reptile.

That which followed seemed to take place in an instant, for as Lord Maudlaine's hand was raised to repeat the blow, something darted through the air, striking him full upon the cheek, and he rolled over in the dusty road, felled by a blow that would have shaken the equanimity of a bullock.

"You dog--you cowardly miscreant!" hissed Brace between his teeth, as, beside himself with pa.s.sion, he stood with clenched fists over his fallen adversary, till, recalling his promise, he once more hurried to the side of the trembling girl.

"I forgot myself," he exclaimed, hastily; "I thought that I had more self-control." Then seeing the working features and agitation the fracas had caused, he added, hastily: "Dear Isa, I know I deserve your anger--your contempt; but I have only one excuse to offer: it was something new to me, and evoked pa.s.sion of whose existence I was in ignorance."

Isa could not speak; but as she listened to his pleading words, poor girl!--perhaps she was very weak and foolish--she thought that she had never seen Brace Norton look so brave and handsome before, and her eyes betokened more love than anger as they returned the young man's gaze.

Meanwhile, foaming with rage, and covered with the chalky dust in which he had involuntarily rolled, Lord Maudlaine stood, looking anything but a hero, as the dismounted groom grinned to himself and dusted his master's guest, rubbing him down with a gorgeous orange-and-white silk handkerchief, all hot from out of his livery; but polis.h.i.+ng away, and accompanying the task with the hissing noise generally accorded to horses.

His lords.h.i.+p did not speak, but turned his back upon the group; and but for sundry recollections of his embarra.s.sments which at the present moment intruded themselves painfully upon him, it is most probable that my lord the Viscount and prospective Earl and peer of the realm, would have hurriedly taken his departure from the neighbourhood of Merland.

As it was, he submitted to the cleansing process so liberally bestowed upon him by the groom. Then, holding his handkerchief to his cheek, he turned to face Norton, to find that he was already a hundred yards off, walking by the side of Isa's mare; and soon after they disappeared at a turn of the road.

"Curse him!" exclaimed his lords.h.i.+p, with a fierce and bitter imprecation.

"Ketched yer unaweers, my lord, didn't he?" said the groom, who, with his bridle over his arm, still kept up his hissing and rubbing process.

"If you'd ha' throwed up your left arm sharp, my lord, and then let go with your right, I don't know but what you might ha stopped him, and planted one for yourself. But per'aps, arter all, it was very doubtful, for that was as sharp a cutter as ever I did see."

His lords.h.i.+p did not seem to heed the friendly counsel, for, turning upon his heel, he strode hastily away in the opposite direction to that taken by Isa Gernon, muttering angrily, and evidently smarting with pain.

"I'm blest if I don't think," muttered Peter, the groom, as he slowly inducted a foot to its stirrup, and then lazily threw a leg over the horse's back, and began to put on his gloves--"I'm blest if I don't think as the higher yer gets up in serciety, the shabbier yer grows.

Now, if that 'ere had been, say, a working man, or a lab'rer, and I'd set him upon his pins, and rubbed him down, he'd per'aps not ha' said, 'Here's the price of a pint, mate,' but he'd ha' stood a pint, safe; and if it had been a plain gent, such as that young Squire Norton, he'd ha'

give a s.h.i.+lling, per'aps 'arf a crown, or one o' them duffing two-bob bits; but as for my fine lord here, he don't so much as say thanky, let alone show you the colour of his money; while, getting up higher still, if it had been a Juke, blow me if I don't think he'd ha' kicked me for what I did. Well, just as they like, and it's all one a hundred years to come. All I can say, though, is, as it served his grand lords.h.i.+p jolly well right, and it was as neat and prettily-planted a blow as ever I did see put in. One--two! one--two! one--two! that was about it," he continued; as, tucking his whip under his saddle-flap, and laying the reins upon the pommel, he began to square with his fists in imitation of the blow he had seen delivered. "He's learned the n.o.ble art of self-defence, safe. One--two! one--two! one--two! Hold up, will yer!"

he shouted, for in his excitement he had rammed one spur against his horse's side, and the poor animal had plunged sharply so as to nearly unseat his rider, who now gathered up his reins, and cantered after his mistress.

He had not ridden far before he came upon Brace Norton, apparently watching for him, in the middle of the road, and ready to slip a crown-piece into his hand.

"I think, my man," said Brace, quietly, "that it would be as well if the little unpleasantly you saw between Lord Maudlaine and me were not talked about up there at the Castle."

"Dumb as a jockey, sir," said the groom, striking himself over the mouth as he spoke; "but--you won't be affronted, sir?"

"Affronted!--no. What is it?" said Brace, smiling.

"If you'd--if you'd take that crown back, sir--" hesitated the man.

"Take it back? Nonsense! Keep it, my lad."

"And just show me how to give that blow, sir. 'Pon my word, sir, I'd rather know that than have half-a-dozen crowns. I never did see such a settler!"

Brace laughed, and strode on hurriedly, shaking his head.

"Ride on, my man," he said. "Your mistress is a long way ahead."

"That's true enough," said the groom to himself, as he looked after the retiring figure; "but he put him down just like a sack o' chaff, that he did; and my lord didn't like it, neither. I'm blest!" he exclaimed, slapping his thigh, and checking his horse suddenly. "Don't say nothing up at the Castle, which I won't; but if there don't come coffee and pistols out of this job, I'm a Dutchman!"

Book 2, Chapter XIV.

MAGNANIMITY.

"Lord Maudlaine presents his compliments to Lieutenant Norton, and begs to say, that although Lieutenant Norton's behaviour has been such that the meeting in such cases necessitated by wounded honour may seem absolutely imperative, yet, feeling compa.s.sion for his youth and inexperience, Lord Maudlaine is willing to forego the customary arrangement on one condition--namely, that Lieutenant Norton immediately quit Merland, and in no way, previous to his departure, trespa.s.s against the wishes of Sir Murray Gernon."

"He will understand that," said his lords.h.i.+p, who, after many hours of sheer hard work, contrived the above magnanimous epistle, and despatched it by a special messenger to Merland Hall, where it was read by Brace, with a quiet, scornful smile.

"When a man's fate leads him in one direction," he muttered, "it takes something stronger than such a letter as that to turn him out of the way."

The result was that Brace tore up the letter with an impatient "pis.h.!.+"

and cast the fragments away, Lord Maudlaine the while nervously looking for the reply that did not come, even when two days had elapsed, during which time both Sir Murray and he learned that Isa had been seen twice with Brace Norton, and the former angrily asked him how much longer he intended "that boy" to stand in his way.

"I should have thought," said his lords.h.i.+p, sulkily, "that I might have counted upon your help, and that you would, at least, have ordered Miss Gernon to confine herself to the house."

"Did I not give you my reasons," said Sir Murray, angrily. "Any coercion on my part would be s.n.a.t.c.hed at by this Norton as an occasion for persuading the silly child to fly with him. I had more faith in you, Maudlaine; I thought that you would have striven harder to undermine his influence, instead of which, you turned tail in her presence--he struck you! I saw it all!"

"I struck him first," said his lords.h.i.+p, sulkily.

"Look here, Maudlaine," said Sir Murray, haughtily, "when I was a young man such an insult would have been followed by something more than words. You will stand and have her stolen from you."

"Perhaps this will go further yet," exclaimed the Viscount, firing up; for the thought of losing the prize he had looked upon as gained stung him to the quick, and without another word he hurried from the room, leaving Sir Murray thoughtful and frowning as he recalled the past. At times, though, his face softened, as the remembrance of Isa's gentle features crossed his imagination, and he dwelt for awhile upon her resemblance to her mother; but soon morose and bitter feelings prevailed, and for no reason, save that it seemed an eligible match, with a t.i.tle, to which the name of Gernon would be allied, he cast aside all thoughts of affection as childish, and determined to take some steps himself for a.s.sisting his proposed son-in-law in his pretensions.

Book 2, Chapter XV.

MCCRAY SCENTS MISCHIEF.

On leaving Sir Murray Gernon, the energy which Lord Maudlaine had displayed seemed to disappear, and he entered his own room, pale and drawn of countenance. His hand, too, trembled, as, taking up a small silver flask which lay upon a side-table, he drained it to the last drop.

The brandy seemed to supply him with the nerve he required; and with a renewed energy, that wore something of the air of desperation, he opened a drawer in the bottom of his dressing-case, and took from it a pair of small, handsomely-mounted pistols. But his hands trembled as he turned them over and over, and the hue of his countenance became more and more sallow, while dark lines showed themselves beneath his eyes.

For strange thoughts were intruding themselves upon his mind, and it seemed to him that unless Brace Norton were out of his way he might just as well apply one of those pistols to his own forehead, and draw the trigger. This was not Italy, where he had first made the acquaintance of the Gernons, or how easily he might have been rid of his rival. But rid of him he must be, or ruin stared him in the face. Gambling and betting had taken his last s.h.i.+lling, and now, supplied with cash for the prosecution of his matrimonial project by one of the money-lending fraternity, he knew what his fate must be should he fail. Confound this Norton!--he was always starting up in his path; and he knew in his heart that he was afraid of him; and, but for the recollection of the fierce blow dealt him--a blow whose smart he still seemed to feel--the Viscount dared not have prosecuted the intent for which he was now preparing.

The age of duelling was long past, and he gave Brace Norton the credit for sending a note of challenge to the police, the result probably being a summons before the bench of magistrates at Marshton, and his being bound over to keep the peace towards Brace Norton and all her Majesty's liege servants. So, in accordance with the plan he had laid down, he proceeded to carefully load both pistols: powder and bullet, cap, and one was ready; powder, wad, cap, and another was ready; and then-- perhaps by accident--his lords.h.i.+p took up a pen, dipped it in the silver inkstand close by, and let it fall, so that one pistol-b.u.t.t was slightly marked with the black fluid. Then he sat, pen in hand, thoughtful and silent for some time, but he did not write; and at last, still very pale and anxious of mien, he took up the pistols, sounded the barrels one by one with the ramrods, and then placed one in each pocket of his coat, and slowly left the room, encountering, as he did so, the quiet, thoughtful countenance of shrewd old Sandy McCray, who watched him out into the pleasure-grounds, and then, having seen that his lords.h.i.+p's valet was in the housekeeper's room, walked swiftly up-stairs, and into the bed-room the Viscount had just vacated.

"He's been writing, seemingly," said the old Scot; "but he looked woondrous bad. But what ha'e we here, spillit a' ower the table-cover?

Gude presairve us! if it isn't poother; and whaat would he be wanting with poother?"