Beauvallet (34 page)

The horse was restless and fidgetting, but a gentling hand stilled him after a while. He stood quiet, stretched down his neck, and began lipping at some fallen leaves on the ground.

Nearer and nearer, like approaching thunder came the sound of horses on the road, ridden desperately. Up came the bay's head; the ears went forward. Sir Nicholas’ hand slid to the satin nose; the pursuit sounded closer still, and Sir Nicholas’ long fingers gripped tightly, checking the imminent whinny.

The riders swept up and past; they were so close Sir Nicholas could hear the horses’ hard breathing and the creak of the saddle-girths. He held tight to the bay's nose, and waited for the soldiers to pass.

They were gone in a moment, riding close-wedged, hell-for-leather. In a little while all sound of them had died; they were away, making for the Frontier road, and it would take a deal to stop them with their dogged purpose firm in their minds.

Sir Nicholas relaxed his grip on the bay's nose and laughed. ‘Oh, ye bisson fools!’ he said. ‘Ride on, ride on: ye will have but a cold welcome at the end. So, boy, so!’ He led the bay back on to the road, mounted again, and set him at an easy canter along the track towards Vasconosa.

Dominica, tossed up on to a horse before Joshua, clung tight by the saddle-bow, and tried to speak. Joshua's hand covered her mouth imperatively; he struck off through the wood at a walking pace, making westwards.

As soon as he judged it to be safe he bore round a little to meet the track again, came upon it some quarter of a mile beyond the lodge, and kicked his horse to a gallop.

Dominica tried to see his face. ‘No, no, back, I say! back! What, will you leave him? Coward! Oh, base! Back to him, I implore you!’

Joshua torn with anxiety, sore at his enforced flight, was in no humour to be patient. ‘Rest you, mistress, we must make Villanova.’

She leaned forward to tug at the bridle. ‘You are leaving him to be slain! Turn, turn! Oh dastard, cur, craven!’

‘Ho! Fine holiday and lady terms these!’ said Joshua, bristling. ‘Know then, mistress, that were it not for you I would be beside Sir Nicholas now, and had liefer be there, God wot! A plague on all women, say I! What, do I bear you off for my pleasure? Out, out, señorita! These are my master's orders, and an evil day it is that hears him give such ones. Let go the rein, I tell you!’

Her fingers were on his bridle hand, clinging, cajoling. ‘No, no, I did not mean it, but turn, Joshua! For the love of God, set me down and go you back! I will lie close, I will do as you bid me, only go you back to aid Sir Nicholas!’

‘And get a broken head for my pains,’ said Joshua. ‘My master's an ill man to cross, señorita. Nay, nay, we who sail with Laughing Nick must do as we are bid, come weal, come woe. Content you, he has his plans well laid, I warrant you.’

Words tumbled from her lips. She begged, stormed, commanded and coaxed. ‘I am not the worth of his life!’ she said again and again.

‘Well, I doubt there would be a fine reckoning between us if Sir Nicholas heard me agree with you,’ remarked Joshua. ‘Therefore I keep a still tongue in my head.’

‘God knows what I said or did not say upon that ride,’ he afterwards recounted. ‘Maybe my mistress and I bandied some
hard words to and fro, but I bore her no malice, nor did she ever after hold it against me. Which is something remarkable in a woman, I hold.’

No sound of pursuit came after them; Joshua allowed his horse to slacken the pace somewhat, and presently drew in to a steady trot. Dominica was quiet now, but her face looked pinched in the moonlight. Joshua, himself not much lighter-hearted, was moved to offer words of comfort. ‘Cheerly, mistress, we shall have Sir Nicholas with us this night.’

She turned her eyes towards him. ‘How can he fight all those men single-handed?’

‘Mark me, if he does not fob them off with some trick,’ said Joshua stoutly. ‘Maybe you did not believe that he would break free of that prison, señorita, but he did it. Keep a good heart.’ He saw her clouded eyes. ‘By your good leave, mistress, and with respect, I would say that El Beauvallet's lady should wear a smiling face.’

She did smile, but faintly. ‘Yes, she should indeed,’ she answered. She bit her lip. ‘I saw him for so fleeting a moment!’

‘Patience, mistress; I am bold to say you will hear the bustle of his coming in a little while.’

They came to Villanova past ten o’clock at night and fetched up at the inn. ‘More lies!’ said Joshua. ‘Leave all to me, lady.’ He lifted her down from the saddle and proceeded to create a stir. ‘Ho, there! Room for the noble señora! What, I say! Landlord!’

A portly individual came out of the lighted tap-room and stared in amazement at Dominica. She reflected that she must look oddly enough, riding over the countryside at such an hour without cloak or hood or even horse.

‘The good-year!’ cried out Joshua, voluble. ‘Eh, me, but this has been an evening's work! A chamber for my mistress, and supper on the instant! The noble señor follows us close.’

The landlord's eyes slowly ran over Dominica. ‘What's this?’ he said suspiciously.

Dona Dominica stepped forward; she, too, could play a part. ‘A chamber, landlord, and at once,’ she said haughtily. ‘Do you keep me standing in the road?’

Joshua bowed his lady into the inn. ‘Brigands, man!’ he shot over his shoulder. ‘A party of three, and my lady's horse shot under her. Ah, what an ill-chance!’

‘Brigands? Jesu preserve us!’ The landlord crossed himself. ‘But the señor?’

‘Oh, be sure my master is on the villains’ heels!’ Joshua invented. ‘“What,” cries he, “shall this go unpunished?” The rogues made off with our sumpters, and nothing will do but my master must give chase, leaving me to get the gracious señora under cover. Oh, a very fire-eater!’

Dominica interposed in the voice of one accustomed to command. ‘A bed-chamber with your best speed, host, and supper against Don Tomas’ coming.’

Her tone had its calculated effect. She was evidently a lady of quality, and as such the landlord bowed to her. That he was suspicious, however, was plain.

‘And well he might be!’ said Joshua Dimmock. ‘An unlikely tale, I grant you, but by this time I was grown barren of lies, an uncommon thing in me.’

Dona Dominica was shown upstairs to a chamber of fair size and appointments. She sank into a chair, and said pettishly for the benefit of the landlord: ‘It was you who should have chased those knaves, Pedro.’ She hunched a shoulder. ‘Don Tomas is too impetuous. To send me off so, and himself to tarry!’ She became aware of the puzzled landlord. ‘Well, fellow, well? What do you want?’ she demanded.

He bowed himself out, assuring her that supper should be provided against her lord's coming. A glimpse of a double
ducat negligently fingered by Joshua decided him to keep his suspicions in abeyance. Double ducats were not so plentiful in this village that a man could afford to run the risk of losing one.

Joshua nodded briskly, and made a significant gesture of a down-thrust thumb. ‘We shall do very well,’ he said. ‘Now, señorita, with your good leave I shall go get the pack from off my nag's back. I must hope that Sir Nicholas brings on his own jennet, for the most of his raiment is upon it, and I can very plainly hear him calling in the morn for a clean shirt and a clean ruff too.’

He took Beauvallet's coming so much for granted that Dominica began to feel that he would come indeed. She laughed, and looked down at her tumbled riding dress. ‘A clean ruff for Sir Nicholas! Pray you, what will you do for me who have no clothes at all but what you see me in?’

Joshua shook his head. ‘A very pungent question, señora, I allow. This should have been looked to. But thus it is ever when my master is in this humour! I doubt he will have lost his pack and that scabbard beside. But there is never any ho with him. Reck Not! Ah, do I not know it? In we dash, and if we come off with our skins you may say it is a miracle.’

He went down to collect his pack, to see his horse stabled and fed, and to order a rear-banquet for the lady. She was served in her chamber, and the covers left on the table against Beauvallet's coming. The landlord had by this time very little doubt that he entertained noble guests. What their mysterious errand was he could not guess, though he was inclined, saving only the incomprehensible absence of the master, to suspect an elopement. But Joshua's demeanour alone convinced him of the quality of the lady he served. None but a great noble's man, thought the landlord, would show such a high hand as Joshua's. There must be a cold capon prepared against his
master's coming. What, had he no better wine than this poor stuff ? Let him make haste to his cellar and fetch up a bottle of the best he had. Where were the suckets? Was my lady to sit down at table to naught but a scraggy fowl and a neat's tongue? Out upon him! The landlord should learn that a lady of his mistress’ standing was not to be so used.

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 tap-room 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.

Twenty-five

T
hey were up at cock-crow 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 the small parlour leading off the tap-room down stairs 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 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?’