CHAPTER XV.

"The stately homes of England How beautiful they stand, Amidst their tall ancestral trees, O'er all the pleasant land! The deer across the greensward bound Through shade and sunny gleam, And the swan glides past them with the sound Of some rejoicing stream."--_Hemans._

"Look, Nelly, see the deer!" cried little Maude Ravensworth, as their carriage slowly climbed the gentle ascent leading from the foot of the park to the Towers; "see them--one, two, three--bounding across the road."

"Yes, love; the park is full of them; look, Maude, there are five stags beneath that oak-tree," said her sister Ellen.

"What a shot that fellow with the tall antlers is!" said Johnny, leaning back from the box on which he sat, beside the coachman.

"I marvel how any one has the heart to shoot a stag," said his father. "To me it seems little short of murder. I can understand hunting the fox, the wolf, or baiting the badger; but to kill deer, so innocent, so harmless, seems quite cruel."

"The Captain doesn't think so," said Johnny. "I heard him say he would have a stag-hunt this autumn, and he promised I should go. How I wish this place was mine!" he continued, as a bend in the road divulged the baronial-looking old castle, with its four lofty towers,[F] standing on the green eminence in front.

The whole scene was one of surpassing loveliness; the hard white road, so beautifully kept--it was level as a bowling-green--was overhung on the right by beech and oak trees, through which were gained glimpses of the park, dotted with patriarchal trees under which strayed herds of timid deer; on the left tall fir-trees clothed the steep descent to the rivulet beneath. At the foot of the park, in a large hollow, a sheet of water glistened in the sun; sedgy banks surrounded it, whilst on the surface proudly floated several swans: the majestic look of these birds as they sailed amid the numerous wild fowl was graceful in the extreme. The piping of snipes and other waders was heard among the rushes, and now and then a coot or waterhen flew along the surface, beating the still waters with its flapping wings. The castle shone white and distinct from the dark green foliage that surrounded it, and above the woods rose the blue Lammermoor hills, a fitting boundary for so fair a landscape.

It was quite a pet day in the beginning of July; if there was a fault it was its sultriness, an uncommon one in Scotland, where the hottest days are generally tempered by a cool breeze. The arch of the heaven above was blue and cloudless, and the sun, still high, shone with a dazzling brilliancy. Rising above the Lammermoors, however, were piled some splendid cumulus clouds, white as carded wool; and across them one or two dark streaks cut their snowy wreaths, and seemed to betoken the presence of thunder in those white pavilions. It was about three in the afternoon, and still the hottest part of the day; not a breath relieved the dead heat, not a leaf was swayed, and all nature seemed as though she slumbered beneath the hot beam, and took her siesta. A blue, misty haze rose above the silent woods, whose every leaf basked in the sunshine; the deer had fled to cool retreats, or the umbrageous oaks in the park; the songsters had hushed their notes in brake and tangled dell, and no bird tempted the glare save one solitary hawk, which with outspread wings poised himself on the thin air, and ever and anon quivered as he beheld his prey, possibly some tiny harvest mouse which little dreamed of its airy foe. The birds were silent;--not so the thousand grasshoppers, whose harsh whirr resounded from the grass--not so the myriad insect forms that flitted to and fro beneath the dark-green beeches,--not so the bees that hummed over their feast among the sweet lime-blossoms. The only other sounds were the rippling, musical purlings of the rivulet in the dell beneath: the stream was now reduced to its smallest dimensions by the long-continued drought, and the melodious sound now rose clear, and now dwindled to almost imperceptible thinness, as a fuller or lesser flow of water shook the pebbles, and gurgled among the moss-covered rocks.

As the carriage drew nearer the castle, other rustic sounds were heard--the mower whetting his scythe, or the merry laugh of the haymakers, whilst the sweet smell of the new-made hay was delicious. The trees now ceased to fringe the road, which ran through the park towards the west tower of the castle; a neat wattling on either side kept out the cattle; and our friends had an uninterrupted view of the park, dotted over with haycocks, round which strolled many busy figures, some engaged in tossing the hay, some heaping it into haycocks, and others raking the ground.

"How jolly!" exclaimed Johnny; "I shall soon be there helping--lots of time before dinner."

"You must remember, Johnny, you are a guest, and only do what you are asked," said his father.

"Oh, I am quite at home here, papa; every one may do as they please at the Towers--it is Liberty Hall. Besides I see Lord Wentworth among them. I am sure no one would stick at home on a day like this."

"You must not abuse your liberty, my boy, but have patience; everything in its time."

The carriage now entered the barbican, crossed the drawbridge, and soon passed beneath the archway, and entered the ample courtyard. Several other carriages, some very grand turn-outs, were drawn up before the doorway, and blocked the road; round them flitted numbers of busy servants, carrying boxes and trunks into the hall. In its due course Mr. Ravensworth's carriage drew up before the door, where old Andrew acted the part of seneschal, and sent his inferior servants hither and thither at his will.

"Eh, sir, you are come at last: I hae been expecting you this lang while; and how are ye missy? a' richt noo?" said the privileged old butler, addressing Mr. and Miss Ravensworth, and patting the latter familiarly on the shoulder. "Peter--Jamie--ye idle loons--see the young leddy up the stairs, and carry their gear ben the house."

Ellen followed the footmen, and Mr. Ravensworth with Johnny and Maude walked close behind, along the great hall to the reception chamber, a large airy room, with oaken ceiling, splendidly carved, panelled with the same wood. Three large windows, opening in Venetian fashion, led to a balcony, from which a light iron suspension bridge spanned the moat, and formed a communication with the park, on which the view looked.

The room was quite full of strange faces, and Ellen hung back a moment as she entered, as if uncertain how to act, when a lady rose, and hurried forward to meet her.

"My dear Lady Arranmore, how glad I am to find you here!"

"Welcome, dearest Ellen," said the Marchioness, embracing her. "How well you look again! How d'you do, Mr. Ravensworth; how d'you do, Johnny, and my little Maude? Come and sit by me, Ellen, and tell me all about yourself: first let me introduce you to some one, Mr. Ravensworth; and Johnny, you had better run and join the haymakers."

Hardly waiting for leave, Johnny shot away like an arrow from the bow, crossed the bridge, and was soon far off, running down the park.

"The dear boy," said Lady Arranmore, "how he enjoys the country!"

She then introduced Mr. Ravensworth to Mr. Scroop, a gentlemanly looking young man, about the middle height, with rather a slight figure, and very light Saxon hair; he was the only representative of the Border family, so famous in the olden time, and was possessed of broad lands on the southern side of the Cheviots.

The two gentlemen soon engaged in conversation, whilst Ellen and her friend, seated on a sofa near the window, talked over all their travels.

At length Lady Arranmore said, "Really, Ellen, it is a sin to linger indoors such a day as this! All my guests are now arrived: what should hinder us from taking a turn and joining my brothers and Arranmore, who are with the haymakers?"

"Nothing; I shall be charmed to go with you," said Ellen, rising.

The friends then crossed the slender bridge, and conversing as they went slowly walked towards the merry groups, busily engaged at their various tasks.

"How hot it is!" said Ellen, fanning herself with her handkerchief; "it really reminds me of the weather we had at Geneva."

"It does, indeed, dear. I wonder how long this weather will continue? If it will only hold up for two days more I do not care; you know on Wednesday we have our grand picnic at Cessford's Peel."

"Oh, I hope it will! Look, I see the Marquis, and--"

"My brother, Wentworth," said the Marchioness, finishing Ellen's sentence; "so like him, Ellen; see he has got a cask of beer, for those poor weary haymakers; how hot they must be working under such a sun."

The two ladies had now approached within fifty yards of the rustic group; conspicuous above all was Johnny mounted on the top of a huge rick, waving his cap on the end of a rake. Beneath the rick the Earl presided over an immense cask of ale, from which old Andrew was busily engaged handing foaming mugs of the refreshing beverage to the weary labourers, who, as they wiped the toil-drops from their brows, and drained the beakers, bestowed many a blessing on the stout Earl; the sons of Erin, of whom the greater number was composed, were loudest in their benedictions, and declared they would serve his grace's honour to the last drop of their blood! Others stood near, cap in hand, waiting their turn. A little to the right, leaning over a smaller rick, the Marchioness perceived the tall form of her husband; he was flirting with a very pretty girl, who stood smiling on the other side, leaning on the handle of a rake. This was Jenny Forbes, the acknowledged belle of the neighbourhood. Still further sat a young man on horseback, talking to a stout yeoman, John Forbes, the father of the village belle. Dressed as he was, in a light Indian military costume, with a white handkerchief wound turban-like round his brow, his hot, sunburnt face, high and well-chiselled nose, and dark moustache, gave quite an oriental look to Captain de Vere, who, hot as it was, still smoked his favourite black pipe. Near him, stretched at their listless ease, or seated on the new-mown grass, were several gentlemen in various attitudes, talking or laughing to each other, as they leant over, or lay full length on the ground, with handkerchiefs spread over their heads to protect them from the fiery rays. Sir Richard Musgrave, and Captain Wilson, a naval commander, were amongst these. As the two ladies approached, a general movement took place through the company. The Earl walked forward to meet his guest, Johnny slipped down off the rick; the gentlemen arose; the Marquis started back from his position, and tried to put on an innocent expression as he strolled towards his lady. The Captain alone moved not; but went on with his conversation, which, to judge from his earnestness, was very interesting.

"Ha! you have found us out at last, Miss Ravensworth," said the Earl. "Is not this quite Swiss? Blue skies, and haymaking with the sun shining. You must have seen many a scene like this in Bern, I am sure."

"Scarcely one so pretty; and certainly no group like this; it is quite charming!"

"When did you arrive? Is your father come? And where is Mr. Lennox? I thought he would have joined you."

"One question at a time, Clarence," said the Marchioness; "Ellen cannot answer so many at once. And what have you to say, my Lord?" addressing the Marquis, who had just come up. "What excuse for flirting with a country girl, as you were doing just now? Pretty well, after all your vows to me."

"Tut! Edie! what matters a passing joke to a pretty girl. You are not jealous of Jenny Forbes, I hope?"

"By no means; only you should remember you are now married, and should leave such follies to the unmarried young men."

As they spoke the party had come to where the Captain still stood.

"John, have you nothing to say to our guest, Miss Ravensworth?" said Lady Arranmore.

"It is d--d hot, isn't it, Miss Ravensworth?"

Ellen could not forbear smiling at the curt reply, though she felt somewhat shocked.

"You were ill, I was sorry to hear," continued the young officer; "but you have apparently picked up in a wonderfully short time. I am blessed if I would have ever found it out."

They passed on, and the Captain resumed his interrupted conversation.

"I'faith! it is hot, though. This reminds me of Spain a bit, where our men dropped dead by sunstroke like ripe acorns. There, I have nothing more to say now, Forbes, so you may go on with your work, and give my love to your fair daughter; or stay, I will save you the trouble, as my sister has carried off the Marquis. Here, boy," addressing a peasant lad, "hold my horse--or stay, lead it up to the stables; and tell Wilton to give you half-a-crown for your trouble;" at the same time flinging himself off his steed, he said, in sotto voce, to the farmer, "You will remember and send one, then?"

"Ay, ay, sir! I'll send a laddie this very night."

"All right," said the Captain. "Wilton will pay you, boy."

"You are exceedingly generous with other people's money," said the Earl, who was passing again.

"Lord help us! You don't grudge the boy a dirty half-crown?"

"Not I; only I would give it myself if I were you. A pretty grumbling will Wilton make."

"And let him grumble, and be d--d to him. How many half-crowns does he get from me, I wonder, and half-skivs too!"

The Captain then walked off by himself to where Jenny Forbes still stood, and cracked some joke, which she resented by a pretty pout of her lips and ill-feigned frown.

"By my troth, Jenny, you should come up to town with me; I would dress you out in silks and satins, and I am shot if you wouldn't just create a _furore!_"

"I shall choose a better guide than you, when I go!" retorted the girl, with a laugh.

"It will be long ere you find a better one," said the Captain, as he walked away.

"Or one who thinks better of himself, either," said the girl, as a parting hit.

"Hallo! whom have we here?" said the Captain to himself, as he reached the road, and saw a gentleman, who seemed quite overcome by the heat, resting on a stone and wiping his hot brow; a little further off was a boy, who, with an immense carpet-bag, toiled up the hill. "By Jove! is that you, Lennox? You have chosen a d--d hot day for marching. You don't mean to say you walked out?"

"Oh, dear, no," said Mr. Lennox, dusting his boots as he rose. "Taking advantage of the coach, I proceeded by that conveyance to your noble park-gates, and, alighting there, I thought I would walk up, fancying the castle could not be far; but it is a long and hot walk. However, I hired a young man, as you see, to carry my luggage."

"Egad! then you have tramped a good five miles. What a joke! You must be jolly tired. Here, take a pull," said the Captain, producing an immense brandy-flask--his bosom companion at all times and seasons.

"Thank you all the same, no. I seldom take spirits at all; and never plain."

"A most foolish error; and one you would soon be conquered of if you lived at the Towers," said the Captain, taking a long draught. "At the least you will then take a weed?" handing his cigar-case.

"I thank you; I never smoke."

"Neither drink nor smoke! No wonder you feel hot and weary. Egad! Sir, you should have been with me through the Peninsula; and I should like to have seen how the devil you would have stood the marching under a sun which this is a joke to? Brandy to wet our lips, and cigars when we had little to eat, kept our fellows going. You would have never been here now, with your principles, had you fought in Spain! Heat cures heat! Hair of the dog good for the bite."

Mr. Lennox, accompanied by his dashing companion, then walked on to the Towers, devoutly wishing he had never met him, and anathematizing himself for walking, as he felt he should cut a poor figure with his boy and baggage; and the old rhyme came into his head--

"Them what is rich, them rides in chaises, Them what is poor, them walks like blazes."

He had hoped to have slipped in unobserved; but had the misluck to meet the Earl and a bevy of visitors at the door; amongst them was Johnny.

"Ah! how do you do, Lennox?" said the Earl. "Taken advantage of the fine day and walked out, I see. You must have found it hot, did you not?"

"Only from the Lodge-gates; I took the coach so far," said Mr. Lennox; but we fear his answer was hardly heard. "Confound it," he muttered, almost aloud; "they will think I walked out all the way; and I wouldn't for the world Johnny Ravensworth should think so. I do not care for these people of rank half so much as I do for that boy."

"You are just in time, sir," said a footman. "Is that your bag, sir? Follow me to your room; dressing-bell has gone."

Mr. Lennox was the very first who entered the drawing-room. After he had been alone some minutes the door opened and a middle-aged gentleman entered, and soon commenced a conversation with him.

"Do you not admire the prospect, sir? This is the finest park I think I have ever seen. Why, I had no idea you had such parks in Scotland."

"It is indeed a fine one; but cannot, I think, be compared to many I have seen in England. I am myself English, though residing here--such parks as Goodwood, in Sussex, for instance?"

"Is that a finer one? I had not thought it."

"Oh, dear, yes. Goodwood, the Duke of Richmond's, as I suppose you know; this cannot compare with it."

"Indeed! Why, God a-mercy, sir! I do not think so."

"You cannot surely have seen it, sir,--or must forget it. You surely cannot know Goodwood, to say so."

"Indeed, sir, if I do not know it, I wonder who else does, considering I am its owner?" said the gentleman, smiling.

Mr. Lennox's surprise was great.

"You the Duke of Richmond. I am sure I beg your Grace's pardon."

"There is no need--thought is free--every one may have his own opinion."

"Then I may claim the honour of relationship to your Grace, being a Lennox myself."

"I doubt it not," said the Duke, shaking hands. "The Duke of Leinster, you know, was not ashamed to claim cousinship with every beggar who bore the name of Fitzgerald; and I am sure I am honoured by claiming it with you."

Mr. Lennox felt that beneath this compliment indirectly he had been called a beggar, and was not over-pleased with his first interview with his noble relative--nor with his conversation.

Meanwhile, the room had filled with ladies and gentlemen; and when the gong sounded more than thirty descended to dinner. Mr. Lennox, owing to the scarcity of ladies, and general rank of the other gentlemen, was forced to walk down with Johnny as a companion.

"We cut but poor figures," said Johnny, "with no ladies to take down."

Mr. Lennox vouchsafed no reply to this, as he thought, impertinent remark.

"You must be tired after your long trudge."

"I came sir, by the _coach_, and only walked from the Lodge," said Mr. Lennox, exceedingly annoyed.

"It is a good grind from the Lodge," replied his tormentor, as they entered the dining-room.

Lord Wentworth had so arranged that Ellen Ravensworth sat next him at table, though of course he had not brought her down. Opposite was an empty chair. When dinner was begun, a young officer, in full uniform, entered the room and took possession of the vacant place. Ellen naturally glanced to see who it was--Horror untold! she had not dreamed of this. Opposite her sat who? but Captain L'Estrange! She felt her cheek blush, though aware the Earl's eye was upon her, at this unexpected rencontre, as she called to mind where and how she had last seen him. L'Estrange concealed his feelings better, and seemed quite unconcerned at her presence, and after apologising for his lateness on the plea he had taken a long ride, he addressed her with the utmost nonchalance.

"I am glad to see you looking so blooming, Miss Ravensworth; I hope you are now quite recovered?"

Ellen marvelled at his coolness when she remembered his last words only a few days before.

"Thank you, I am very well now," she answered, trying to assume an unconcerned air and speak naturally, but she knew how ill she played her part, and again felt the blood rising to her cheek, and fancied all eyes were turned on her. Her ill-concealed agitation did not escape the Earl, who, however, imputed it entirely to nervousness, and relieved her from the trying position by addressing her on another subject. By-and-by her constraint wore off, and she actually found herself talking and even laughing with L'Estrange before the table broke up. Either, she thought, he told me false when he expressed himself most miserable, or he has a strange power of hiding mental agony by a smiling guise. The rest of the evening was spent in music and conversation upstairs, though some preferred strolling among the flower gardens till the bats began to flit about. The ladies then retired to their rooms; and the gentlemen, excepting Mr. Lennox and his friend Mr. Ravensworth, Johnny, Mr. Power the clergyman, and a few other quiet persons, retreated to the smoking room, where they kept up the fun to a late hour. One by one they too dropped off to bed, leaving only the Marquis, equal to any amount of strong drink, the Captain and L'Estrange. At last the Marquis went off, alleging as a reason it was "a shame to keep his wife awake so long."

"Egad! and do you really think she will keep awake for you? Hang marriage, it spoils all good fellows; but get along," said the Captain, anxious to be alone with L'Estrange, yet unwilling the Marquis should think so. As soon as they were left alone, he continued, "I think, Ned, a foul fiend is against us; who the devil would have thought the Earl would have chosen Cessford's Peel for his double d--d picnic! I tried all I could to throw him off, and so did Musgrave, but it was no go, so I must warn Bill, and get Juana stowed away. I told that rascal Forbes to send a fellow along to-night; I wonder why the deuce he has not done so!"

At this moment old Andrew opened the door and introduced a smart-looking young man. "A laddie who wished to see you, Captain."

"Show him in--and begone: what the devil are you standing eavesdropping there for, you old blackguard?"

"Heaven sain us," said Andrew, quickly departing.

"Have a glass of spirits, my lad--whisky, or brandy, or what?"

"Whisky, please your honour."

"There you are," said the Captain, filling him a glass.

"Your healths, sirs," draining the glass and smacking his lips--"that's the rale gude stuff."

"Take another glass--and look you here, you know Cessford's Peel?"

"Ay, sir, seeven mile, or thereby, sou-east o' the Towers."

"Exactly; ride there to-night, and give this note to the old man; stay for an answer, and meet me to-morrow with it in the Holly Walk, at two. Do not keep me waiting, on your life,--and breathe not a word of this to living soul, or, by Heaven, I would not be you!"

"Nae fears, your secret is safe with me."

"And there is for your trouble," said the Captain, dropping some gold into his hand; "and now begone, and remember _two_ o'clock!"

"Do not say," continued the Captain, when the young man had departed, "that I am not a zealous ally. God knows, I have to think and plan everything, though I wish to God that girl had never come,--it was not my doing; and now let us go to roost."

And so saying the two young men left the room and proceeded to their different apartments.