Outside in the sunshine they checked. Sir John stood with bent head and hunched shoulders, his eyes upon the white deck. Timidly almost—a thing never seen before in this bold man—he looked at Sir Oliver.
“He was my friend,” he said sorrowfully, and as if to excuse and explain himself, “and … and I was misled through love of him.”
“He was my brother,” replied Sir Oliver solemnly. “God rest him!”
Sir John, resolved, drew himself up into an attitude preparatory to receiving with dignity a rebuff should it be administered him.
“Can you find it in your generosity, sir, to forgive me?” he asked, and his air was almost one of challenge.
Silently Sir Oliver held out his hand. Sir John fell upon it almost in eagerness.
“We are like to be neighbours again,” he said, “and I give you my word I shall strive to be a more neighbourly one than in the past.”
“Then, sirs,” said Sir Oliver, looking from Sir John to Lord Henry, “I am to understand that I am no longer a prisoner.”
“You need not hesitate to return with us to England, Sir Oliver,” replied his lordship. “The Queen shall hear your story, and we have Jasper Leigh to confirm it if need be, and I will go warranty for your complete reinstatement. Count me your friend, Sir Oliver, I beg.” And he, too, held out his hand. Then turning to the others: “Come, sirs,” he said, “we have duties elsewhere, I think.”
They tramped away, leaving Oliver and Rosamund alone. The twain looked long each at the other. There was so much to say, so much to ask, so much to explain, that neither knew with what words to begin. Then Rosamund suddenly came up to him, holding out her hands. “Oh, my dear!” she said, and that, after all, summed up a deal.
One or two over-inquisitive seamen, lounging on the forecastle and peeping through the shrouds, were disgusted to see the lady of Godolphin Court in the arms of a beturbaned barelegged follower of Mahound.
Colophon
The Sea Hawk
was published in 1915 by
Rafael Sabatini.
This ebook was produced for
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Kevin Palm,
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John Stuart Middleton, David Widger, and The Online Distributed Proofreading Team
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The cover page is adapted from
The Sea-Hawk,
a painting completed in 1923 by
Harold Mathews Brett.
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