Ronald Morton, or the Fire Ships Part 50

"Why is it fortunate?" asked the colonel.

"Because he is, I opine, a very brave officer, as your daughter says, good sir," answered Lawrence. And away he shuffled down the steps.

There was a pause of some duration.

"Remember, Edda," said her father, at last, "if your conjecture is right, and yonder vessel is commanded by Captain Morton, should he venture here, I command you to have no communication with him. He is a mere adventurer; you are heiress of Lunnasting, and the lands appertaining to it. Listen, girl! you will drive me mad if you look so melancholy, instead of rejoicing at your good fortune."

Hilda had been watching the corvette from her own tower, and seeing a boat leave the s.h.i.+p and approach the landing-place, she descended to the hall to learn who the strangers were, and to receive them, should they visit the castle. A note was soon afterwards put into her hands, informing her that two old acquaintances had arrived, and craved leave to see her.

She desired that they might be admitted, and in a short time the stout, well-knit figure of Pedro Alvarez was seen entering the hall, while by his side glided the attenuated form of the priest, Father Mendez.

Changed as they were by years, Hilda knew them at once. She trembled violently, and it was with difficulty she could rise to receive them.

"You are welcome, old friends," she exclaimed; "but speak--tell me by what wonderful means have you reached Lunnasting once more? What event do you come to announce?"

"The father, lady, is a more fitting person than I am to tell you,"

answered Pedro Alvarez. "He has more command of the language necessary to convey to you the information we possess."

Hilda again started from the chair into which she had sunk, and seizing the priest's arm, she exclaimed, "Speak without delay! You come to tell me of my son: yes, is it not so? He is found! Speak--speak! where is he? Why did you not bring him? Oh! do not mock me!"

"Lady, we come not to mock you," said the priest, quietly. "You speak of your son; he is, we believe, alive, and more, that he can be found."

Hilda clasped her hands in speechless eagerness, fixing her eyes intently on the countenance of the priest.

"He can be found, I say; but at once to save you from disappointment, I must tell you that he is not here. By a wonderful chain of circ.u.mstances, not only has his life been preserved, but we can, without doubt, prove his ident.i.ty to satisfy the most rigid demands of a court of law."

The priest's slow mode of speaking did not at all satisfy poor Hilda's eagerness. She turned to his companion.

"Tell, Pedro Alvarez, where is he?" she exclaimed. "I care not now for the means by which he has been preserved. Where can I find him? When can I see him? You swore to search for him. Did you fulfil your promise? Oh! bring him to me, if you have found him."

"Lady, I did fulfil my promise most faithfully, and to the service of your son I have devoted my life. It may be weeks or months before you can see him, but I have every reason to hope that he is safe at this moment in France. But the means were afforded me of coming here, and, moreover, of producing all the existing witnesses necessary to prove the legality of his birth in the first place, his ident.i.ty in the second, and his right, if not to the castle and estates of Lunnasting, to the rank which his father would have held of Marquis de Medea, and the valuable property attached to it."

The hapless mother heaved a deep sigh.

"All that I doubt not; but could you not have brought him to me?" she gasped out, as she sunk once more back in her seat. It was some time before either she or her visitors again spoke. At last Father Mendez saw that it would be advantageous to her to break the silence.

"Donna Hilda, I crave your pardon," he said, "but I have been charged with a request from the captain of yonder s.h.i.+p, one who owns himself to be deeply indebted to you in his youth, Ronald Morton. It is, that you will give shelter to an old man, who has long been ill, and his daughter, who has accompanied him. I will not tell you the old man's name; but he feels that he has much to ask you to forgive, ere he can die in peace. He has not many days to live, so you will not have long to exercise your mercy."

Hilda scarcely appeared to comprehend the last remarks.

"Yes, yes; whatever you desire, most readily do I grant," she answered.

"An old man, you say? If he thinks that he can die in peace on sh.o.r.e, let him come here and finish his remaining days."

It was some time before Hilda was sufficiently tranquillised to listen to the details which Pedro Alvarez had to give her of the recapture of her son from the pirate Tacon, the causes of his flight from Europe, which prevented him from bringing Hernan back to Shetland, and his ultimate meeting with Tacon and Father Mendez, and of the aid which Ronald Morton had promised towards the accomplishment of his object.

"He was always a n.o.ble, generous boy!" she exclaimed, warmly; but she was little aware of the sacrifice Ronald was prepared to make to a.s.sist his rival, and one who had shown such bitter animosity towards him in obtaining his rights.

By this time the "Scorpion's" boat returned under charge of Lieutenant Glover, with the Marquis de Medea, as Don Josef de Villavicencio had hitherto been called, and his daughter Julia. She, poor girl, had at first been astounded with the information that another person intervened between the t.i.tle and estates her father had held, and that he had no right to them; but latterly, in consequence of the delicate endeavours of Glover to console her, she had become much more reconciled to her lot.

Whatever were the motives which influenced him, Father Mendez, armed with the information he had gained from Tacon, so worked either on the fears or better feelings of the dying marquis, that he professed himself ready to confess his crime, and to do his utmost to right the wronged.

Hilda, still ignorant of who he was, had him conveyed to one of the best chambers in the castle, and directed that all his wants should be attended to, while another room near his was prepared for Donna Julia.

Ronald Morton was of course not aware of the arrival of Edda Armytage and her parents; and feeling that it might be an intrusion, under the circ.u.mstances, to present himself before Hilda on that day, he directed Glover to say that he hoped to pay his respects in person on the following morning, and then hastened on towards his father's house.

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

RONALD VISITS LUNNASTING CASTLE--LEGAL VISITORS ARRIVE AT LUNNASTING-- THE RIGHTFUL HEIR DISCOVERED--THE PRINCE HAS GOT HIS AIN AGAIN.

With a heart agitated by a variety of conflicting feelings, Ronald Morton, the day after the "Scorpion" reached Eastling Sound, approached Lunnasting Castle. He was followed at a distance by his father and the three gentlemen who had arrived by the smack from Aberdeen. His great wish was that he might first meet Edda, and break to her the discoveries which had been made, and which it was now necessary to disclose.

"Should I be unable to meet her, I will endeavour to see the Lady Hilda by herself, and it will soften the blow, when I am able to remind her that her son will undoubtedly succeed in establis.h.i.+ng his claim to his father's inheritance." This thought was uppermost in Ronald's mind, as he opened the well-known wicket and was crossing the court-yard to enter the hall.

At that moment Colonel Armytage was sallying out to inspect the domain which he hoped soon would be his own. He stopped, and looking with an angry frown on his frown at Ronald, said, "Captain Morton, it will prevent mistakes in future, if I at once tell you that I cannot allow your visits to this house, especially if paid, as I have reason to suppose, for the sake of seeing my daughter. While on service I was always ready to treat you as an equal in rank, but you must remember that your birth does not ent.i.tle you to a.s.sociate on the same terms with the owners of Lunnasting; and as, at the express wish of Sir Marcus Wardhill, I am henceforth to be master here, I must at once, to save unpleasantness for the future, forbid you the castle."

Morton bowed; though he bit his lip at the insult offered him, there was a smile in his eye which showed that he was not very much moved by the colonel's behaviour.

"I will not dispute the matter with you now, sir," he answered, calmly.

"But I have a matter of importance on which to speak with the Lady Hilda, and unless she refuses to see me, I feel myself bound to communicate with her."

Colonel Armytage, notwithstanding all Morton could say, was determined that he should not enter. He was still holding out against what Ronald was urging, when Rolf Morton and his friends entered the court-yard.

"Colonel Armytage, these gentlemen have come expressly to see Sir Marcus Wardhill and his daughter, the Lady Hilda," said Ronald firmly. "I must introduce them. My former captain and friend, Lord Claymore; Mr Frazer and Mr Scott, two eminent lawyers from Scotland; and my father, whom you have heard of as Mr Rolf Morton."

Colonel Armytage looked confused.

"Of course, my lord and gentlemen, if you desire to see Sir Marcus Wardhill, I cannot prevent you. I will lead the way and prepare him for your visit."

Scarcely had Colonel Armytage disappeared than another party entered the court-yard. In the centre walked the worthy Captain Tacon, who was examining the building with much curiosity, and looking about him with a swaggering air of independence. He was guarded on either side by Job Truefitt and young Doull, who showed by their looks that they were not at all likely to allow him to escape from want of watchfulness.

Directly after them came the elder Doull and Archy Eagleshay. Ronald directed them to wait in the hall while he went to look for Pedro Alvarez and Father Mendez. During his absence another person arrived, who was warmly greeted by Lord Claymore and the two lawyers as Mr Cameron, the Sheriff-Subst.i.tute for Shetland.

In a few minutes Colonel Armytage returned, and announced that Sir Marcus Wardhill was prepared to receive them.

He seemed very much astonished at the appearance of so many strangers, and probably had a presentiment of what was preparing for him.

He was, however, a man of the world; he was also an honourable man, according to his own code; he knew that nothing was to be gained by contending against authority, and much by yielding gracefully; and he also did not desire to oppose an act of justice, even though he might be the sufferer. With a proud resolution to do all that the strictest justice could require of him, he led the way to Sir Marcus's room.

Here also his daughters and granddaughter, accompanied by Pedro Alvarez and Father Mendez, were a.s.sembled, and and before they sat down two servants wheeled in, on a sofa, the old Spanish marquis, who was followed by his weeping daughter. Edda invited her to come and sit by her, but she declined, and stood holding her father's hand, while the priest stood on the other side of the sofa, every now and then stooping down to whisper into his ear.

The old man looked up and inquired why so many people were a.s.sembled; but when he saw Mr Cameron and the two lawyers he bowed his head, whispering slowly--"Some criminal to be tried, I see: let the case go on."

"Not exactly that, Sir Marcus," said the sheriff. "I have been requested to attend here to investigate two important cases, in both of which Lord Claymore, who is known to you, has taken much interest. At his request, my two learned friends, Mr Scott and Mr Frazer, have come from Edinburgh to a.s.sist us in our investigations; but it depends on circ.u.mstances whether the cases are or are not carried into a court of law, and thus made public. With which shall we proceed first, my lord?"

"By all means with that relating to the son of a lady present--the wife of a Spanish officer, Don Hernan Escalante," said Lord Claymore. "We all must feel how anxious she must be to know that the interests of her child have been secured."

It is not necessary to describe all the examinations which took place.

Hilda's marriage with Don Hernan was proved by three surviving witnesses--Father Mendez, Pedro Alvarez, and Rolf Morton, though the loss of the certificate, one of the lawyers was of opinion, might prove a difficulty in a Spanish court.