He waited upon Dominica himself, and was inclined to be severe with her when she showed so little appetite. She looked up at him with large, frightened eyes. “He does not come,” she said.
“Patience, patience, señorita, he is not a bird!” said Joshua testily. “If he got away he was to lead the Guards off on a wrong scent towards the Frontier. It would never do to have them on our heels, mistress, for you cannot ride as we might have to in such a strait.”
“I can ride very well if I am allowed,” she said meekly.
Time wore on. A few last loiterers in the taproom went off homewards; candles were snuffed below stairs, and the inn grew quiet. Joshua had bespoken a chamber for his master, and a fire to be lit in Dominica’s room, judging with some shrewdness that its friendly crackle and glow would do more to comfort her than any words of his.
She sat by it trying to keep her courage up, and from time to time looked anxiously at Joshua. She would not have him leave her; she would not hear of going to bed for all his pleading. He might bully and override her in most things, she said, but he could not make her rest until she knew Sir Nicholas to be safe.
“I shall take leave to say, señorita, that there is a long day ahead of you, and you would do well to get what sleep you may.”
“I will not!” she said, her old spirit rearing up its head. And there the matter rested.
It was close on midnight when they heard the sound of an approaching horseman. Joshua lifted a finger and threw out his chest. “Ah, señora! ah! What said I? Ho, trust Beauvallet!” He went to the window and pushed it open.
Dominica was on her feet, clasping her hands, “It may not be. It may be a soldier in search of me. I cannot think. …”
The horse was reined in under the window. “Holà, there!” rang out Beauvallet’s voice. He looked up at the front of the inn and saw Joshua craning from the window. “God’s Death, Joshua, what makes you there? Come down and let me in!”
Dominica sank back into her chair, almost stunned with relief. Joshua was making for the door. “Ay, ay, thus it goes,” he said. “Briskly, recklessly, with never a thought to who may be listening. Ah, madcap!” He went out, and Dominica heard him clatter down the stairs and draw back the bolts of the door below, shouting to the awakened landlord as he did so that all was well. Then a light step sounded on the stairs, the door was opened, and the next instant Dominica was folded in Beauvallet’s arms.
XXV
They were up at cockcrow next morning, and away upon their long ride north just as soon as they had broken their fast, and procured fresh horses.
Dominica felt herself to be moving in a dream; events had marched so swiftly that she was dazed by them. She awoke to hear Joshua scratching on her door, and for a moment imagined the previous day’s wild work to be a figment of her fancy. But Joshua’s voice, unmistakably his brisk voice, was bidding her rise up, and she knew herself to be living in no dream.
Breakfast in a small parlour leading off the taproom downstairs awaited her. She found Sir Nicholas there, neat as ever, and because she was suddenly shy and tongue-tied she could only give him her little hand to kiss, and say in a voice that tried to hide her shyness: “Ah, Señor Nicholas, I see you have that clean ruff Joshua spoke of, so I suppose you did not leave your pack behind.”
He flung up a hand. “A’ God’s Name, let me hear no more of that pack!” he said in comic dismay. “I have heard of little else from that tickle-brain behind you since my coming last night.”
She looked round at Joshua’s disapproving face. Joshua pulled out a stool for her from under the table, but fixed a wintry look upon Sir Nicholas. “Ay, master, no doubt it is very well to talk in such careless wise, but I shall take leave to say that to throw away a new doublet of murry taffeta and a pair of stocks broidered with gold quirks about the ankles, not to make mention of a set of silver aiglets and a pair of trunk hose scarce worn, passeth the bounds of prodigality.”
“Peace, froth!” said Sir Nicholas, and sat him down opposite to his lady at the table. His eyes smiled at her across the covers. “It is in my mind, ladybird, that we have not sat at table together since you were aboard the Venture.” The twinkle deepened. “Do you remember that you were loth to take wine from my hands?” He picked up the bottle at his elbow and regarded it with uplifted brows. “You might well be loth to take this from me,” he remarked. “What is it, Joshua?”
“Scarce potable, I allow,” said Joshua gloomily. “A
