The Black Moth: A Romance of the XVIIIth Century Read online

  CHAPTER XXV

  HIS GRACE OF ANDOVER CAPTURES THE QUEEN

  Diana stood in the old oak porch, riding-whip in hand, and the folds ofher voluminous gown over her arm. Miss Betty stood beside her, surveyingher with secret pride.

  Diana's eyes seemed darker than ever, she thought, and the mouth moretragic. She knew that the girl was, to use her own expression, "mopingquite prodigiously for that Mr. Carr." Not all that she could do toentertain Diana entirely chased away the haunting sadness in her face;for a time she would be gay, but afterwards the laughter died away andshe was silent. Many times had Miss Betty shaken her fist at the absentJohn.

  Presently Diana gave a tiny sigh, and looked down at her aunt, smiling.

  "You would be surprised how excellently well Harper manages the horses,"she said. "He is quite a godsend. So much nicer than that stupidWilliam."

  "Indeed, yes," agreed Miss Betty. "Only think, my dear, he was groom toSir Hugh Grandison--I saw the letter Sir Hugh writ your Papa--aremarkable elegant epistle, I assure you, my love."

  Diana nodded and watched the new groom ride up, leading her mount. Hejumped down, and, touching his hat, stood awaiting his mistress'spleasure.

  Diana went up to the cob, patting his glossy neck.

  "We are going towards Ashley to-day, aunt," she said. "I am so anxiousto find some berries, and Harper tells me they grow in profusion not farfrom here."

  "Now, my dear, pray do not tire yourself by going too far--I doubt itwill rain before long and you will catch your death of cold!"

  Diana laughed at her.

  "Oh, no, aunt! Why, the sky is almost cloudless! But we shall not belong, I promise you. Only as far as Crossdown Woods and back again."

  She gave her foot to the groom just as Mr. Beauleigh came out to watchher start.

  "Really, my dear, I must ride with you to-morrow," he told her. "'Tis anage since we have been out together."

  "Why, Papa, will you not accompany me this afternoon?" cried Dianaeagerly. "I should so like it!"

  It struck her aunt that Harper awaited the answer to this questionrather anxiously. She watched him, puzzled. However, when Mr. Beauleighhad refused she could not see any change in his expression, andconcluded that she must have been mistaken.

  So with a wave of her hand, Diana rode away, the groom following at arespectful distance. Yet somehow Miss Betty was uneasy. A presentimentof evil seemed to touch her, and when the riders had disappeared round abend in the road she felt an insane desire to run after them and callher niece back. She gave herself a little shake, saying that she was afond old woman, over-anxious about Diana. Nevertheless, she laid adetaining hand on her brother's arm as he was about to go indoors.

  "Wait, Horace! You--you _will_ ride with Di more frequently, will younot?"

  He looked surprised.

  "You are uneasy, Betty?"

  "Oh--uneasy--! Well, yes--a little. I do not like her to go alone with agroom, and we do not know this man."

  "My dear! I had the very highest references from Sir Hugh Grandison,who, I am sure, would never recommend anyone untrustworthy. Why, you sawthe letter yourself!"

  "Yes, yes. Doubtless I am very stupid. But you _will_ ride with herafter to-day, will you not?"

  "Certainly I will accompany my daughter when I can spare the time," hereplied with dignity, and with that she had to be content.

  Diana rode leisurely along the lane, beside great trees and hedges thatwere a blaze of riotous colour. Autumn had turned the leaves dull goldand flame, mellow brown and deepest red, with flaming orangeintermingled, and touches of copper here and there where some beech treestood. The lane was like a fairy picture, too gorgeous to be real; thetrees, meeting overhead, but let the sunlight through in patches, sothat the dusty road beneath was mottled with gold.

  The hedges retained their greenness, and where there was a gap a vistaof fields presented itself. And then they came upon a clump of berries,black and red, growing the other side of the little stream thatmeandered along the lane in a ditch. Diana drew up and addressed hercompanion.

  "See, Harper--there are berries! We need go no further." She changed thereins to her right hand and made as if to spring down.

  "The place I spoke of is but a short way on, miss," ventured the man,keeping his seat.

  She paused.

  "But why will these not suffice?"

  "Well, miss, if you like. But those others were a deal finer. It seems apity not to get some."

  Diana looked doubtfully along the road.

  "'Tis not far?"

  "No, miss; but another quarter of a mile, and then down the track by thewood."

  Still she hesitated.

  "I do not want to be late," she demurred.

  "No, miss, of course not. I only thought as how we might come back byway of Chorly Fields."

  "Round by the mill? H'm...."

  "Yes, miss. Then as soon as we get past it there is a clear stretch ofturf almost up to the house."

  Her eye brightened.

  "A gallop? Very well! But let us hurry on."

  She touched the cob with her heel, and they trotted on briskly out ofthe leafy canopy along the road with blue sky above and pasture landaround. After a little while the wood came in sight, and in a minutethey were riding down the track at right angles to the road. Harper wasat Diana's heels, drawing nearer. Half unconsciously she quickened herpace. There was not a soul in sight.

  They were coming to a bend in the road, and now Harper was alongside.

  Choking a ridiculous feeling of frightened apprehension, Diana drewrein.

  "I do not perceive those berries!" she said lightly.

  "No, miss," was the immediate response. "They are just a step into thewood. If you care to dismount here I can show you."

  Nothing could be more respectful than the man's tone. Diana shook offher nervous qualms and slipped down. Harper, already on the ground, tookthe cob's rein and tied both horses to a tree.

  Diana gathered her skirts over her arm and picked her way through thebrambles to where he had pointed.

  The blackberry hedges he held back for her entrance swung back afterthey had passed, completely shutting out all view of the road. Therewere no berries.

  Diana's heart was beating very fast, all her suspicions springing tolife again, but she showed no sign of fear as she desired him to holdthe brambles back again for her to pass out.

  "For there are no berries here, as you can see for yourself."

  She swept round and walked calmly towards the bushes.

  Then, how she could never quite remember, she was seized from behind,and before she had time to move, a long piece of silk was flung over herhead and drawn tight across her mouth, while an arm, as of steel, heldand controlled her.

  Fighting madly, she managed to get one arm free, and struck outfuriously with her slender crop. There was a brief struggle, and it wastwisted from her grasp, and her hands tied behind her, despite all herefforts to be free.

  Then her captor swung her writhing into his arms, and strode awaythrough the wood without a word.

  Diana was passive now, reserving her strength for when it might availher something, but above the gag her eyes blazed with mingled fright andfury. She noticed that she was being carried not into the wood, butalong it, and was not surprised when they emerged on to the road whereit had rounded the bend.

  With a sick feeling of terror, she saw a coach standing in the road, andguessed, even before she knew, what was her fate. Through a haze she sawa man standing at the door, and then she was thrust into the coach andmade to sit down on the softly-cushioned seat. All her energies wereconcentrated in fighting against the faintness that threatened toovercome her. She won gradually, and strained her ears to catch what wasbeing said outside.

  She caught one sentence in a familiar, purring voice:

  "Set them loose and tie this to the pummel." Then there was silence.

  Presently she heard footsteps returning. An indistinguishable murmurfrom Harper