Beauvallet looked up. “Peace, chewet! What ails you?”
“This ails me, master, that you have not the means to be avised of the Venture’s being in these waters.”
“Am I so often disobeyed then?”
“Nay, I do not say that, sir, nor would I doubt the good faith of Master Dangerfield, but I say, master, that he is not Sir Nicholas Beauvallet, and he may well fail.”
“Oh, croaker! You bring up objections cut and longtail. You’re bird-eyed, man, and see danger in every corner. Diccon has as cool a head as you may wish to see, and has my orders to go upon beside. I don’t fear for aught there. What, would my men fail me when I was in need?”
“Nay, nay, but if you fear naught there, master, what is it you do fear?”
“To say truth.” Beauvallet answered. “I mislike the look of yon French Ambassador.”
“For my part, sir, I mislike that popinjay cousin of your lady’s. If he is not of a mind to pick a quarrel with you I do not know the signs when a man will be in fighting humour.”
“God help him, then!” Beauvallet said, and bent again over his map. “My lady goes to Vasconosa on Tuesday next. Now, it is in my mind that we will attend her on that journey.”
“Ay, and then, master?”
“God’s Death, man, how do I know who have not seen the place. We shall carry her off, and to the coast. Ask me more when I know more.”
“I fear a mischance,” Joshua said sadly. “This runs too smoothly for a coil of yours, sir.”
Beauvallet folded his map, and put it safely away. There was a look in his face that Joshua had seen there once or twice before. “Fear what you will,” said Sir Nicholas, “and let come what may. I tell you, by this hand, I will reach Vasconosa, and have my lady away before she has slept two nights in the place!”
XIV
Don Diego, accompanying his parents and his cousin to an evening party at the house of Don Luis de Noveli suspected his cousin of going only to meet the Chevalier. His mother was more than weary of these suspicions, and would lend them no ear. “My dear Diego,” said she, before they had left the house. “The Chevalier shocks Dominica far more than he fascinates her. I regard the coming of Tobar with more misgiving.”
“We shall have her fast at Vasconosa by then,” he said, “and the knot may well be tied before he can act. I would not put it beyond her to be off with that tricksy Frenchman, if only to spite us all. I tell you, señora, he was at her side more than half the evening at de Chinchon’s house last night, paying his court to her.”
“How well you play the jealous lover!” admired his mother. “I never knew you had it in you to hate anyone as you hate this conquering stranger. It is most entertaining.”
There is no doubt this young man had conceived a very violent dislike for Sir Nicholas Beauvallet, and was at increasingly little pains to conceal it. Maybe those blue eyes mocked too openly. Don Diego knew himself for a very exquisite caballero, and it was evident Sir Nicholas had no such notion of the matter. Sir Nicholas had a curl of the lip that offended; he laughed for no apparent reason, and bore himself as though there were few whom he considered worth the snap of a finger. His careless eyes, with the laughter half stayed in them, looked quizzically, as though he would say, “Do you want to fight me? Well, I am ready for you, but I shall not wait upon you.” He went abroad with a light, swinging stride, as though he were very much at home, and the very carriage of his neat head betokened arrogance. Don Diego burned to let a little of this proud blood.
He felt all his suspicions confirmed when he saw that the Chevalier was present at the gathering. Since his mother refused to pay any heed to his suspicions he determined to keep a close watch on Dominica himself, and stayed as near her as he might all the evening. She bore this as best she might, and hoped that Beauvallet would not come near. He was quite capable of coming to her out of sheer devilry, she thought, and when she caught his eye across the room she put all the warning she could into her look. He made a grimace, but for once was obedient to the pleading in her eyes. She had scolded him well for his behaviour at the Casa Carvalho when she had met him last night. She told him that such dangerous work brought her heart up into her mouth, and he had kissed her fingers, and sworn he was a villain to alarm her. That was all very well, but Doña Dominica had realized by now that her lover was not only headstrong, but took a wicked delight in tempting long-suffering Providence. But it seemed her words had had some effect, for he kept aloof from her now. He was in his gayest mood. How could she help watching him, dreading disaster?
She had a feeling of foreboding; maybe it was due to her cousin’s unwelcome presence beside her, and the knowledge she had that he too was watching Beauvallet, with scowling hatred in his face. She tried to be rid of him, but he stuck close, and she saw that he suspected her of wanting to have Beauvallet beside her. She was rescued at last by her aunt, who presented her to a prim girl who had said she would so much like to meet the lady who had been captured by the notorious pirate.
Sir Nicolas was within earshot, and what must the prim girl do but ask a score of questions about El Beauvallet. Doña Dominica answered as briefly
