Captain Danvers had sent on his groom to the hall to inform Sir Leycester and Lady Barfleur that Mrs. Calverley was coming on to call on them, and also to explain what had occurred.
Consequently, when the ladies had crossed the bridge and entered the court, they found Sir Leycester and Lady Barfleur, with the fair Emmeline, waiting to receive them, and they had no sooner alighted than they were overwhelmed with expressions of sympathy. Some of the servants who were assembled in the court seemed likewise greatly excited.
Sir Leycester, an old fox-hunter and rather choleric, was excessively wroth, and vowed he would never rest till he had caught the rascals. He had no idea whatever, he said, that the country was infested with such vermin, but catch them he would. Mrs. Calverley endeavoured to dissuade him from his purpose, but in vain. “I only waited to see you, or I should have been off before,” he said. “You’ll excuse me quitting you so abruptly, since I am going on your business.”
“But I’d much rather you didn’t go, Sir Leycester,” said Mrs. Calverley. “I’m afraid the gipsies may offer a desperate resistance.”
“I’m sure they will,” added Mildred.
“No matter; I’ll have them!” rejoined Sir Leycester.
“If you really are going on this gipsy-hunt, my dear uncle, I’ll go with you,” said Captain Danvers.
“No, no; I don’t want you, Charles,” rejoined Sir Leycester. “Remain with the ladies. You must stay till I return, my dear Mrs. Calverley.”
She promised that she would; and, after a word or two with Lady Barfleur, he proceeded to the stables, and ordered a hunter to be saddled immediately. He also told Booth, the coachman, on whom he could place reliance, that he should require him and a couple of grooms to attend him.
While the horses were being saddled, a footman brought a brace of pistols, which Sir Leycester had sent for.
Armed with these, and accompanied by Booth, and one of his own grooms, together with his nephew’s groom, Tom, he set out on the expedition, shaping his course towards the further side of the morass, where he expected to find some traces of the robbers.
IX. LADY BARFLEUR
Lady Barfleur had been a very fine woman in her day, and though her beauty was now somewhat passed, she was still a stately dame, and accorded extremely well with the old mansion of which she was mistress.
The drawing-room, to which she conducted her visitors, was a very splendid apartment, and merits a brief description.
The ceiling was adorned with pendants, and the upper part of the walls was covered with a profusion of plaster ornaments, among which were the arms of Elizabeth and James the First. The dark oak wainscoting was richly carved in arches and pilasters, producing a very fine effect.
The principal feature of the room, however, was the magnificent fireplace. Rising to a great height, it was adorned with pillars and sculptured figures that supported the architrave, above which were emblazoned the arms of the Barfleurs.
The furniture was consistent with the antique character of the room – none of it being of a later date than the early part of the seventeenth century.
As Lady Barfleur moved slowly and somewhat stiffly about this noble apartment, or seated herself in a high-backed chair, carved in oak, black as ebony, she looked as if she belonged to the same date as the furniture; and her hair, having become prematurely grey, aided the illusion.
Not so Emmeline. She was a very charming representative of the young lady of our own period.
An exceedingly pretty brunette, she had splendid black eyes, shaded by long silken lashes, and arched over by finely-pencilled brows, lovely features, ripe red lips, and teeth like pearls – and, as she was very lively, the latter were often displayed.
She was not tall, but her figure was symmetry itself, and Cinderella might have envied her tiny feet. She was about the same age as Mildred, and they were great friends.
At first, the discourse turned chiefly upon the robbery, which Lady Barfleur begged might be fully described to her; but it was soon changed to other topics.
For awhile, Captain Danvers seemed undecided whether to devote himself to the beautiful and wealthy widow or her lovely step-daughter; but at length he began to pay exclusive attention to the former, probably because she gave him most encouragement. Indeed, Mrs. Calverley seemed more favourably inclined towards him than to any other suitor since her husband’s death.
Captain Danvers, it appeared, had only arrived at Brackley a few days previously, and this accounted for his not having met the ladies of Ouselcroft before.
Whether Mildred was altogether pleased by having him carried off in this manner, we will not say. Not the slightest sign of annoyance was manifest. She laughed and chatted gaily with Emmeline; and when that young lady proposed that they should go and look at the gallery, she readily assented, and left Mrs. Calverley in quiet possession of the handsome captain.
X. THE GALLERY
Ascending a beautiful spiral oak staircase, the two young ladies soon reached the gallery, which, it has already been mentioned, was situated at the top of the house.
Like all the other rooms in the old mansion, the gallery was maintained in its original state. At all events, it had undergone no alteration since 1570, as appeared from an inscription above the door.
Exceedingly light and cheerful, as might be expected from the multitude of windows, it seemed of immense size. It had a wooden roof – the rafters being painted; and the panels were covered with tapestry, or hung with family portraits. In the room were several curious old cabinets.
“I am always charmed with this gallery,” exclaimed Mildred, as she gazed around it in admiration. “If I lived here, I should spend all my time in it.”
“You would get tired of it,” rejoined Emmeline. “For my part, I prefer my own little chamber, with its carved oak bedstead, and beautiful bay-window.”
“Yes, your room is very pretty, but not to be compared with this grand gallery.”
“The gallery is too large to be pleasant,” said Emmeline. “Indeed, I rarely come here, unless we have company. But do sit down. I want to have a little private and confidential talk with you.”
“I hope you have some affair of the heart to communicate,” said Mildred, as she sat down on an old-fashioned sofa, covered with Utrecht velvet, and just large enough for two, while Emmeline placed herself beside her, and took her hand.
“You must know, then,” began Miss Barfleur, “that two or three years ago I had a tête-à-tête with a very handsome young man. We were seated on this very sofa. Mamma and several other persons were present, but they were too far off to overhear what passed.”
“That is one advantage of a very large room,” remarked Mildred. “But I am sorry this tête-à-tête occurred so long ago. I hope it has been renewed.
“No; and I fear it never will be renewed,” sighed Emmeline. “But I have not forgotten it.”
“Did it come to a positive proposal?” inquired Mildred.
“Not exactly; but if the gentleman had proposed I am sure I should have accepted him; and I feel I never can love any one else.”
“You think so now. I suppose he is still unmarried?”
“Shortly after the interview I have mentioned, he was engaged to another person; but the engagement was broken off, and he is now free.”
“Have you seen him again lately?”
“Not for a long, long time, Mildred; but I love him still, despite his inconstancy, and I should like to know something about him.”
“Emmeline,” said Mildred, regarding her fixedly, “you are not referring to my brother Chetwynd?”
“To