The Lady of Loyalty House: A Novel Read online

  XXII

  MASTER PAUL AND MASTER PETER

  At the dinner-hour Halfman came for Evander, where he sat in thelibrary, and told him that Lady Brilliana awaited him. The meal wasserved in the banqueting-hall, a splendid, panelled room withdeep-embrasured windows, from which the defences had now been removedand through which the inmates could have noble views of the lawns andgardens beyond the moat. The little company of three seemed, as itwere, lost in the vastness of the chamber as they sat at meattogether at the oak table by the hearth at one end of the room,Brilliana at the head, with Halfman at her right and Evander at herleft as the guest and stranger. It proved a vastly pleasant meal toEvander, for the talk was brisk and entertaining, and there was noallusion made to those civil and religious differences which indistracting the country had their curious effect, so unimportant tothe country, so important to themselves, of bringing that oddlyassorted trio together. Brilliana gave a gracious equality ofattention to her companions; showed no keener interest in her newvisitor than she had found in the conversation of her oldacquaintance, and thus made both men very happily at their ease.Indeed, Halfman was at his best that afternoon, playing the genial,ripe, mellow man of the world to perfection, so that Evander foundhim a most entertaining board-fellow.

  They were at the fruit, and Halfman showing them tricks of carvingfaces in October apples, when Tiffany skipped into the room a-twitterwith excitement.

  "My lady," she cried, "here is come Master Paul and two of our peoplebearing a great box. And I can spy Master Peter and his party withanother at the turn of the road."

  Halfman laughed loudly; Brilliana laughed softly; Evander wonderedwhat there was to laugh at.

  "Lodge them apart and bring them in by turn," Brilliana gave order."Master Paul first and then Master Peter. This is rare. Bring themin, bring them in."

  Tiffany fluttered out and Evander rose from his chair.

  "Shall I leave you, lady?" he asked, thinking that she would beprivate. But Brilliana would not hear of this and motioned to him tokeep his seat.

  "Nay, sir, stay," she said, "if you would see some sport."

  Even as she spoke Tiffany returned, ushering in Master Hungerford,followed by two men in Brilliana's livery, bearing with pains a chestwhich they set down with a deep breath of relief. Tiffany, who wasnow in the secret, pretended to be busy at a sideboard so as to stayin the room. Master Paul rubbed his lean fingers together and scrapedto the company.

  "You have been swift, Master Hungerford," Brilliana said,approvingly. Master Hungerford smiled furtively.

  "Who would not use despatch in the King's cause and yours. 'Tis as Isaid: the pestilent Roundhead had a chest full of broad-piecesstuffed under his bed. And here it now is at your feet." And hepointed victoriously at the spoils of war. Brilliana applauded as ifshe had been at the play.

  "You have done well," she said, with the tears in her eyes forlaughter. Halfman kept a grave face and Evander wondered.

  "Call me your knight," Master Paul pleaded, with a languishing look.

  "You have done well, my knight," Brilliana repeated; then, turningto Tiffany, she bade her see that the chest was set in a place ofsafety. The two men took up their burden again and followed Tiffanyout of the room. But in a jiffy the maid was back again andwhispering in her mistress's ear.

  Brilliana turned her amused gaze upon Master Paul.

  "Master Hungerford," she entreated, "will you be so good as to waitawhile in the next chamber. I have some immediate business to dealwith, but I would be loath to part company with you so soon if youhave the leisure to wait."

  Master Hungerford, protesting his readiness to attend upon herpleasure, was promptly ushered by Halfman into an adjoining room,where he left him, and having closely shut the door, came backshaking with suppressed laughter to Brilliana. Evander, looking fromthe mirthful man to the mirthful maid, felt constrained to question.

  "Why are you so merry?"

  "You will know ere the sun is much older," Brilliana answered,composing her countenance, "for here comes the other."

  As she spoke Tiffany returned, ushering in Master Peter Rainham and afresh brace of Brilliana's servants, staggering, like theirpredecessors, under the weight of a great chest. The certainty thatsome astonishing jest was towards set Evander on the alert as hescrutinized the forbidding form and features of the new-comer.

  "Welcome, thrice welcome, Master Peter Rainham," cried Brilliana."You have made good speed."

  Master Peter proffered her an uncouth salutation and pointed to thechest on the floor significantly.

  "Lady," he said, "I have done the King a good turn. There are goldplates there, gold dishes, gold ewers, that will change in themelting-pot to many a troop of horse for the King's cause."

  "I thank you with all my heart," Brilliana said, quietly.

  Master Peter leered cunningly at her, and earned the cordial dislikeof Evander.

  "Do you give me your heart with your thanks?" he asked, with what hebelieved to be gallantry.

  Brilliana made a little fanning motion at him with her hand.

  "You are too hot," she said. Then ordered Tiffany, "See thesetreasures despatched to the King under guard."

  As before, the serving-men took up the chest, which seemed evenheavier than the former box, and were convoyed by Tiffany out of theroom. Then Brilliana turned to Master Peter, who stood apart bitinghis nails awkwardly.

  "Master Rainham," she said, "you have shown rare discretion and madebrave despatch. I would thank you at greater length were it not thatI have company. There is one in the next room who waits to see me.Entreat the gentleman to enter, Captain Halfman."

  Halfman went to the nigh door, and, opening it, summoned withbeckoning finger its tenant to come forth. Master Hungerford emergedradiant. For a moment neither squire saw the other. Then MasterRainham, looking away from Brilliana, saw Master Hungerford; andMaster Hungerford, looking away from Halfman, saw Master Rainham.

  To those who watched the comedy the silence was intense, andthrobbing with possibilities as summer air throbs with heat.Brilliana heard Master Rainham say, "What a devil, MasterHungerford," and Halfman, for his part, averred later that MasterHungerford, too, greeted his neighbor's presence with an oath. Thespectators wondered what would happen: it was plain as noon that eachsquire for an instant believed that the other had discovered larcenyand had posted to avenge it. But while each man knew of his own guiltneither could guess or did guess at the other's theft, and neitherreading anger in the other's visage, each concluded that the meetingwas a piece of chance, and each resolved to make the best of it,laughing heartily in his sleeve at the other's catastrophe. So"Good-morrow, neighbor," nodded Master Paul, and "Good-day,good-day," responded Master Peter, and Brilliana thought her bodicewould burst with her effort to keep her appreciation a prisoner.

  "Why, sirs," she cried, "this is a good seeing, a pair of neighborsunder my roof."

  "What does this fellow here?" Master Paul asked behind his hand ofHalfman, who answered, very coolly,

  "He comes to pay court to our lady."

  At the same moment, beneath his breath, Master Peter was questioningBrilliana, "Why is that disloyal rogue here?" Brilliana answered,with a pretty toss of the head:

  "Would you ever believe it? He came to assure me of his devotion tome and his zeal for his Majesty."

  Master Peter, in wrath, looked more porcine than ever.

  "The lying knave," he grunted. "What are his words to my deeds?"

  "What, indeed," answered Brilliana, demurely. "I pray you persuadehim hence."

  "So that I may return alone?"

  Thus Master Peter interpreted Brilliana, and the minx gave him aglance which might well be taken as justifying his interpretation. Atthis moment Master Paul broke in upon their colloquy.

  "A word with you, I pray you," he said, sourly, "if my good neighborwill give me good leave."

  Master Rainham withdrew a little way his self-satisfaction andhimself, while Master Paul whispered to
Brilliana:

  "You know me now: I am proved your friend. Prithee get rid of thatmean huckster."

  Brilliana desired nothing better. She gave him the same advice thatshe had given his neighbor, and was mischievously delighted to findthat he interpreted it after the same fashion. It did her heart goodto see how the two squires approached each other with many formalexpressions of good-will, each persuading the other to depart, andeach warmly proffering companionship on the homeward road. In the endthey went off together arm in arm, each endeavoring to convey toBrilliana by nods and winks that he proposed to return alone veryshortly.

  As soon as they were fairly gone Brilliana and Halfman allowedthemselves to laugh like school-boy and school-girl, and thenBrilliana commanded Halfman to take order that neither gentleman wasto be admitted again. When he had gone on this business she turned toEvander.

  "Well," she said, "have you found the key to the riddle?"

  "You have made these two neighbors plunder each other?" he hazarded.Brilliana nodded gleefully, and then, guessing at disapproval in hisgravity, she asserted, defiantly:

  "It was for the King's cause. Everything is right for the King'scause."

  At this flagrant enunciation of Cavalier policy Evander could not butsmile.

  "How will it end?" he asked. He was to learn that very soon, butfirst he was to learn other things of greater import to himself.