CHAPTER XVIII.

After writing these words I cast aside my pen, and, throwing myself upon the bed, buried my face in the pillow. I could feel the drumming pulses in my ears, and my heart swelled till it was like to burst within my bosom. Though I pressed my hot fingers against my close-shut eyes, I still could see my poor love's white, set face, the great hollows in his bearded cheeks, the blue veins on his thin temples, and the large eyes, one moment all love-lighted, the next, stricken with horror at the sight of my unfaith.

How long I lay there I can scarcely tell. It was many hours after noon when I heard heavy steps without my door, which suddenly began to shake as though one beat upon it with frantic hands.

"Who is there?" I cried, lifting my head.

"Oh! Mistress Margaret! a G.o.d's mercy--undo the door!"

I drew the bolt in haste, and Dame Barbara burst in and dropped down, weeping, at my feet.

"Lord love ye, Mistress Margaret! Lord help us both this day! They have sent off all our men to meet the blessed English ship--and we two poor women left behind!"

I could not think it true. I seized the weeping dame by her heaving shoulders and fairly dragged her to her feet, demanding what proof she had that this was so. She pointed dumbly to the window, and fell a-sobbing louder than before.

Then I looked out.

The _Carolina_ frigate stood off the bar of Matanzas Bay, and over the waves, in the direction of the frigate, went a small boat impelled by the brawny arms of six swarthy Spaniards. With them were the English prisoners: I saw the honest face of Captain Baulk, and next him worthy Master Collins; also the three seamen of the Barbadian sloop; and another, whom I did not know, but guessed to be the second of the two unlucky messengers; and--in the midst of all--my dear love.

He lay full length, his white face resting against the good captain's knees; and my first thought was one of terror lest he was dead: but I saw him lift himself, and give one long look at the castle walls, then fall back as before--and I knew, in that moment, he put me from his heart for ever.

They were gone, all gone. Dona Orosia had played me false--G.o.d had turned His face from me--and the man I loved would never love me more.

I turned away from the window to the weeping dame, and I laughed, laughed again as I had done in the face of my dear love that very morn.

"The piece is near ended, dame," I said. "'Tis almost time to pray _G.o.d save His Majesty_ and draw the curtain. But what strange tricks does Fate play sometimes with her helpless puppets! She did cast us, long ago, for a lightsome comedy, and lo! 'tis to be a tragedy instead! Think you, dear Barbara, that death would come easier by means of yonder bed-cord, or of those great scissors dangling at thy waist? Or, perhaps, if thou couldst play Oth.e.l.lo to my Desdemona, it might seem a gentler prelude to the grave. How heavy is a lie, good dame? Think you it would drag a soul to h.e.l.l? If so, I need not to go alone; for if I lied to Melinza, he also lied to me--and Dona Orosia also"--then a strong shudder shook my frame. "Barbara, Barbara, must I e'en have their company for all eternity?"

She ran to me, good soul, and hushed me like a child to her ample bosom.

"Lord help ye, dear lamb! And He will--He will!" I heard her say over and over; then everything turned dark before my eyes, and I thought death had come to me indeed.

When consciousness returned I lay upon my bed in a gray twilight, and beside me were Dame Barbara and the Governor's wife.

As my eyes fell upon Dona Orosia, I cried out bitterly that I had been a fool to trust even to her hate; for now she had grown weary of her revenge, and would discard her tool without paying the price for it.

She covered my mouth with her hand, laughing shortly.

"Melinza thinks he has been too sharp for me. He despatched the prisoners in great haste to the English ship without my knowledge. I went to him just now and demanded to know if he dared to send away Senor Rivers without leave from me.

"'Aye,' he said, and bowed to me. 'Since Dona Orosia desired for some reason to detain him here, I thought it best to be rid of him at once; but the girl remains.'

"'The girl remains in my guardianship,' said I.

"'Until to-morrow,' Melinza answered. 'To-morrow the _Virgen de la Mar_ returns to Habana, and with her go the English girl and your humble servant.'

"'The Governor,' I cried, 'will not permit it!'

"'Will he not? Ask him,' said Melinza, 'ask his Excellency the Governor of San Augustin!' Then he laughed at me--_Dios!_ he laughed at me!"

She bit her red lip at the remembrance, and clenched her white hands.

"And did you ask the Governor, senora?"

She nodded fiercely. "The old dotard! He did but shrug his shoulders and offer me a diamond necklace in exchange for my pretty puppet of a plaything. It is plain Melinza has some hold upon him, what it is I cannot guess; but it is stronger than my wishes. He would sooner brave my anger than oppose his nephew's schemes."

I watched the dark shadow settling on her brow, and I thought all hope was over.

"Dona Orosia," I said at last, "will you lend me your dagger?"

"Not yet, child--not unless there is no other way to thwart them both.

Look--" she said, and threw a purse of gold pieces on the bed beside me.

"This is your purchase money, and 'twill serve to buy a.s.sistance. When I could make no better terms, I was forced to take this and a kiss to boot--Pah!" and she rubbed her cheek. "To-morrow, when the tide is full, the _Virgen de la Mar_ will leave the harbour. Before then I must contrive your escape."

"And Barbara's," I added, for I could see the poor dame was in deep anxiety.

Dona Orosia stared. "Upon my soul, we had all forgotten the old woman.

She might have gone well enough with the other prisoners; but how am I to smuggle _two_ women from the town?"

Then I besought her not to separate me from the dame, to whom I clung as my last friend; and after a time she yielded me a grudging promise and left me, bidding me make ready for the evening meal, at which I must appear in order not to arouse the Governor's suspicions.

My hands were cold and trembling; but with Barbara's aid I decked me out in one of the gay gowns which had been given me by my protectress, and, taking up a fan--with which I had learned the Spanish trick of screening my face upon occasion--I joined the Governor and his beautiful spouse in the brightly lighted _comedor_, where covers at table were laid for three. I was thankful for Melinza's absence, for to play at love-making that night would have been beyond my powers.

At first I could eat nothing; but an urgent glance from Dona Orosia, and the thought of what need there would be for all my strength prompted me to force some morsels, in spite of the convulsive swelling of my throat. I made shift, also, to answer when addressed by either host or hostess; but the Governor was in no great spirits himself and seemed to stand in some awe of his lady's frown.

Suddenly, without the door, sounded voices in altercation, and a servant entered, protesting with many apologies that there was a reverend father without who demanded to see his Excellency at once on a matter that would brook no delay.

The Governor leaned back in his chair with an air of great annoyance; but Dona Orosia said quickly, "Bid the father enter."

A tall form in a friar's dark habit appeared on the threshold. I recognized, under the cowl, the thin, sallow face and the sombre eyes. I had seen them at the door of the chapel in the castle courtyard on the night of our arrival, and many times since. They belonged to Padre Felipe, the confessor of the Governor's wife, and her adviser, I believed, in affairs temporal as well as spiritual. Something told me he had come hither at her bidding, and I glanced at her for confirmation; but Dona Orosia leaned with one elbow on the table, her chin upon her white hand, the other rounded arm outstretched with an almond in the slim fingers for the delectation of the green parrot on his perch beside her. Not a flicker of interest was visible on her beautiful, sullen face; so I turned away with some disappointment to hear what the padre was saying.

His voice was low-pitched and husky, and I could scarce distinguish what he said, save that it concerned someone who was ill--nay, _dead_, it seemed, and needing instant burial.

The Governor listened with a gathering scowl upon his face, till suddenly he started up with such haste that his chair fell backward with a noisy clatter.

"_Santa Maria!_ Dead of the black vomit? And you come hither with the vile contagion clinging to your very garments!"

"Nay," said the friar's deep, hollow voice, as he lifted a rea.s.suring hand. "I have changed my robes. You and yours are in no danger, my son."

"In no danger!" repeated the Governor, his face becoming purple and his voice choked; "no danger, when the foul carca.s.s lies unburied, tainting the very air with death! Throw it over in the sea--nay, set fire to the miserable hut in which it lies, and let all be consumed together!"

"Who is it that is dead?" asked Dona Orosia. She had risen, and stood with one hand holding back her skirts, her full, red upper lip slightly drawn, and her delicate nostrils dilated, as though the very mention of the loathed disease filled her with disgust.

"A wretched half-breed boy, some thieving member of the padre's flock,"

exclaimed the Governor impatiently. "Set fire to the hut, I say!"