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

  CHAPTER XXVI

  MY LORD RIDES TO FRUSTRATE HIS GRACE

  My lord yawned most prodigiously and let fall the _Spectator._ His eyesroved towards the clock, and noted with disgust that the hands pointedto half after five. He sighed and picked up the _Rambler_.

  His host and hostess were visiting some miles distant, and were notlikely to be back until late, so my lord had a long dull evening infront of him, which he relished not at all. Lady O'Hara had tried toinduce him to accompany them, promising that he would meet no one heknew, but he had for once been prudent and refused steadfastly. So mylady, after pouting crossly at him and assuring him that he was by farthe most obstinate and disagreeable man that she had ever come across,not excepting her husband, who, to be sure, had been quite prodigiouslyannoying all day, relented, told him she understood perfectly, and evenoffered to kiss him to make up for her monstrous ill-humour. Jackaccepted the offer promptly, waved farewell to her from the porch, andreturned to the empty drawing-room to while away the time with twonumbers of the _Spectator_ and his own thoughts till dinner, which wasto be later than usual to-day, on account of an attack of vapours whichhad seized the cook.

  His thoughts were too unpleasant to be dwelt on everything in his worldseemed to have gone awry. So he occupied himself with what seemed to hima particularly uninteresting number of the _Spectator_. The sun hadalmost disappeared, and very soon it became too dark to read; no candleshaving been brought as yet, my lord, very unromantically, went to sleepin his chair. Whether he would have eventually snored is not known, fornot more than a quarter of an hour afterwards the butler roused him withthe magic words:

  "Dinner is served, sir."

  Carstares turned his head lazily.

  "What's that you say, James?"

  "Dinner is served, sir," repeated the man, and held the door wide forhim to pass out.

  "Faith! I'm glad to hear it!"

  My lord rose leisurely and pulled his cravat more precisely intoposition. Although he was to be alone, he gave his costume a touch hereand there, and flicked a speck of dust from one great cuff with hiselegant lace handkerchief.

  He strolled across the old panelled hall to the dining-room, and satdown at the table.

  The curtains were drawn across the windows, and clusters of candles ingraceful silver holders were arranged on the table, shedding a warmlight on to the white damask and the shining covers. The footmenpresented a fish, and my lord permitted a little to be put on his plate.The butler desired to know if Mr. Carr would drink claret or burgundy,or ale? Mr. Carr would drink claret. A sirloin of beef next made itsappearance, and went away considerably smaller. Then before my lord wasspread an array of dishes. Partridges flanked one end, a pasty stoodnext, a cream, two chickens, a duck, and a ham of noble proportions.

  My lord went gently through.

  The butler desired to know if Mr. Carr would drink a glass of burgundy?He exhibited a dusty bottle. My lord considered it through his eyeglassand decided in favour. He sipped reflectively and waved the ham away.

  Sweetmeats appeared before him and a soup, while plump pigeons wereuncovered at his elbow.

  One was whipped deftly on to his plate, and as he took up his knife andfork to carve it, a great scuffling sounded without, angry voices beingraised in expostulation, and, above all, a breathless, insistent appealfor Mr. Carr or Sir Miles. My lord laid down the knife and fork and cameto his feet.

  "It appears I am demanded," he said, and went to the door. It was openedfor him at once, and he stepped out into the hall to find Mr. Beauleightrying to dodge the younger footman, who was refusing to let him pass.At the sight of Carstares he stepped back respectfully. Mr. Beauleigh,hot, distraught, breathless, fell upon my lord.

  "Thank God you are here, sir!" he cried.

  Carstares observed him with some surprise. Mr. Beauleigh had been sovery frigid when last they had met.

  "I am glad to be at your service, sir," he bowed. "You have commands forme?"

  "We are in terrible trouble," almost moaned the other. "Betty bade mecome to find you, or failing you, Sir Miles, for none other can helpus!"

  Carstares' glance grew sharper.

  "Trouble? Not--But I forget my manners--we shall talk more at ease inhere." He led Mr. Beauleigh into the morning-room. Beauleigh thrust apaper into his hands.

  "Diana went riding this afternoon, and only her horse returned--withthis attached to the pommel! Read it, sir! Read it!"

  "Diana!" Carstares strode over to the light, and devoured the contentsof the single sheet, with eager eyes.

  They were not long, and they were very much to the point:

  "Mr. Beauleigh may haply recall to mind a certain 'Mr. Everard,' ofBath, whose Addresses to Miss Beauleigh were cruelly repulsed. Heregrets having now to take the Matter into his Own Hands, and trusts tofurther his Acquaintance with Mr. Beauleigh at some Future Date, whenMiss Beauleigh shall, He trusts, have become 'Mrs. Everard.'"

  Jack crumpled the paper furiously in his hand, grinding out a startlingoath.

  "--insolent cur!"

  "Yes, yes, sir! But what will that avail my daughter? I have comestraight to you, for my sister is convinced you know this Everard, andcan tell me where to seek them!"

  Carstares clapped a hand on his shoulder.

  "Never fear, Mr. Beauleigh! I pledge you my word she shall be found thisvery night!"

  "You know where he has taken her? You do? You are sure?"

  "Back to his earth, I'll lay my life; 'tis ever his custom." He strodeto the door, flung it wide and shot clear, crisp directions at thefootman. "See to it that my mare is saddled in ten minutes and BlueDevil harnessed to your master's curricle! Don't stand staring--go! Andsend Salter to me!"

  The footman scuttled away, pausing only to inform my lord that Salterwas not in.

  Carstares remembered that he had given Jim leave to visit his Mary atFittering, and crushed out another oath. He sprang up the stairs, Mr.Beauleigh following breathlessly.

  In his room, struggling with his boots, he put a few questions.

  Mr. Beauleigh related the whole tale, dwelling mournfully on theexcellent references for Harper he had received from Sir Hugh Grandison.

  Jack hauled at his second boot.

  "Tracy himself, of course!" he fumed, adjusting his spurs.

  "Pray, Mr. Carr, who is this scoundrel? Is it true that you know him?"

  "Andover," answered Jack from the depths of the garde-robe. "Damn thefellow, where has he put my cloak?" This to the absent Jim, and not theDuke.

  "Andover! Not--surely not the Duke?" cried Mr. Beauleigh.

  "I know of none other. At last!"

  He emerged and tossed a heavy, many-caped coat on to the bed.

  "Now, sir, your attention for one moment."

  He was buckling on his sword as he spoke, and not looking at the otherman.

  "Tracy will have borne Di--Miss Beauleigh off to Andover Court, sevenmiles beyond Wyncham, to the south-west. Your horse, I take it, is notfresh," (he knew Mr. Beauleigh's horse). "I have ordered the curriclefor you. I will ride on at once by short cuts, for there is not a momentto be lost--"

  "The Duke of Andover!" interrupted Mr. Beauleigh. "The Duke of Andover!Why, do you think he purposes to marry my daughter?"

  Jack gave a short, furious laugh.

  "Ay! As he married all the others!"

  Mr. Beauleigh winced.

  "Sir! Pray why should you say so?"

  "I perceive you do not know his Grace. Perchance you have heard of DevilBelmanoir?"

  Then the little man paled.

  "Good God, Mr. Carr, 'tis not he?"

  Carstares caught up his hat and whip.

  "Ay, Mr. Beauleigh, 'tis indeed he. Now perhaps you appreciate thenecessity for haste?"

  Mr. Beauleigh's eyes were open at last.

  "For God's sake, Mr. Carr, after them!"

  "'Tis what I intend, sir. You will follow as swiftly as possible?"

  "Yes, yes, but do not wait for anything