In one moment, the boy Julian, breathless with joy, came flying into the room, to say that papa was returned, with Lamington and Sam Brewer; and that he was himself to ride Black Hastings to the stable. In the second the tramp of the honest Knights heavy jack-boots was heard, as, in his haste to see his lady, he ascended the staircase by two steps at a time. He burst into the room; his manly countenance and disordered dress showing marks that he had been riding fast; and without looking to any one else, caught his good lady in his arms, and kissed her a dozen of times. Blushing, and with some difficulty, Lady Peveril extricated herself from Sir Geoffreys arms; and in a voice of bashful and gentle rebuke, bid him, for shame, observe who was in the room.
One, said the Countess, advancing to him, who is right glad to see that Sir Geoffrey Peveril, though turned courtier and favourite, still values the treasure which she had some share in bestowing upon him. You cannot have forgot the raising of the leaguer of Latham House!
The noble Countess of Derby! said Sir Geoffrey, doffing his plumed hat with an air of deep deference, and kissing with much reverence the hand which she held out to him; I am as glad to see your ladyship in my poor house, as I would be to hear that they had found a vein of lead in the Brown Tor. I rode hard, in the hope of being your escort through the country. I feared you might have fallen into bad hands, hearing there was a knave sent out with a warrant from the Council.
When heard you so? and from whom?
It was from Cholmondley of Vale Royal, said Sir Geoffrey; he is come down to make provision for your safety through Cheshire; and I promised to bring you there in safety. Prince Rupert, Ormond, and other friends, do not doubt the matter will be driven to a fine; but they say the Chancellor, and Harry Bennet, and some others of the over-sea counsellors, are furious at what they call a breach of the Kings proclamation. Hang them, say I! They left us to bear all the beating; and now they are incensed that we should wish to clear scores with those who rode us like nightmares!
What did they talk of for my chastisement? said the Countess.
I wot not, said Sir Geoffrey; some friends, as I said, from our kind Cheshire, and others, tried to bring it to a fine; but some, again, spoke of nothing but the Tower, and a long imprisonment.
I have suffered imprisonment long enough for King Charless sake, said the Countess; and have no mind to undergo it at his hand. Besides, if I am removed from the personal superintendence of my sons dominions in Man, I know not what new usurpation may be attempted there. I must be obliged to you, cousin, to contrive that I may get in security to Vale Royal, and from thence I know I shall be guarded safely to Liverpool.
You may rely on my guidance and protection, noble lady, answered her host, though you had come here at midnight, and with the rogues head in your apron, like Judith in the Holy Apocrypha, which I joy to hear once more read in churches.
Do the gentry resort much to the Court? said the lady.
Ay, madam, replied Sir Geoffrey; and according to our saying, when miners do begin to bore in these parts, it is for the grace of God, and what they there may find.
Meet the old Cavaliers with much countenance? continued the Countess.
Faith, madam, to speak truth, replied the Knight, the King hath so gracious a manner, that it makes every mans hopes blossom, though we have seen but few that have ripened into fruit.
You have not, yourself, my cousin, answered the Countess, had room to complain of ingratitude, I trust? Few have less deserved it at the Kings hand.
Sir Geoffrey was unwilling, like most prudent persons, to own the existence of expectations which had proved fallacious, yet had too little art in his character to conceal his disappointment entirely. Who, I, madam? he said; Alas! what should a poor country knight expect from the King, besides the pleasure of seeing him in Whitehall once more, and enjoying his own again? And his Majesty was very gracious when I was presented, and spoke to me of Worcester, and of my horse, Black Hastings he had forgot his name, though faith, and mine, too, I believe, had not Prince Rupert whispered it to him. And I saw some old friends, such as his Grace of Ormond, Sir Marmaduke Langdale, Sir Philip Musgrave, and so forth; and had a jolly rouse or two, to the tune of old times.
I should have thought so many wounds received so many dangers risked such considerable losses merited something more than a few smooth words, said the Countess.
Nay, my lady, there were other friends of mine who had the same thought, answered Peveril. Some were of opinion that the loss of so many hundred acres of fair land was worth some reward of honour at least; and there were who thought my descent from William the Conqueror craving your ladyships pardon for boasting it in your presence would not have become a higher rank or title worse than the pedigree of some who have been promoted. But what said the witty Duke of Buckingham, forsooth? (whose grandsire was a Leistershire Knight rather poorer, and scarcely so well-born as myself) Why, he said, that if all of my degree who deserved well of the King in the late times were to be made peers, the House of Lords must meet upon Salisbury Plain!
And that bad jest passed for a good argument! said the Countess; and well it might, where good arguments pass for bad jests. But here comes one I must be acquainted with.
This was little Julian, who now re-entered the hall, leading his little sister, as if he had brought her to bear witness to the boastful tale which he told his father, of his having manfully ridden Black Hastings to the stable-yard, alone in the saddle; and that Saunders though he walked by the horses head, did not once put his hand upon the rein, and Brewer, though he stood beside him, scarce held him by the knee. The father kissed the boy heartily; and the Countess, calling him to her so soon as Sir Geoffrey had set him down, kissed his forehead also, and then surveyed all his features with a keen and penetrating eye.
He is a true Peveril, said she, mixed as he should be with some touch of the Stanley. Cousin, you must grant me my boon, and when I am safely established, and have my present affair arranged, you must let me have this little Julian of yours some time hence, to be nurtured in my house, held as my page, and the playfellow of the little Derby. I trust in Heaven, they will be such friends as their fathers have been, and may God send them more fortunate times!
Marry, and I thank you for the proposal with all my heart, madam, said the Knight. There are so many noble houses decayed, and so many more in which the exercise and discipline for the training of noble youths is given up and neglected, that I have often feared I must have kept Gil to be young master at home; and I have had too little nurture myself to teach him much, and so he would have been a mere hunting hawking knight of Derbyshire. But in your ladyships household, and with the noble young Earl, he will have all, and more than all, the education which I could desire.
There shall be no distinction betwixt them, cousin, said the Countess; Margaret Stanleys son shall be as much the object of care to me as my own, since you are kindly disposed to entrust him to my charge. You look pale, Margaret, she continued, and the tear stands in your eye? Do not be so foolish, my love what I ask is better than you can desire for your boy; for the house of my father, the Duke de la Tremouille, was the most famous school of chivalry in France; nor have I degenerated from him, or suffered any relaxation in that noble discipline which trained young gentlemen to do honour to their race. You can promise your Julian no such advantages, if you train him up a mere home-bred youth.