A couple of days of mingled hope and fear pa.s.sed before he encountered her again, when Brace Norton's brow flushed and his pulses beat rapidly, for Isa was alone, save that a groom followed at a distance, with difficulty restraining his highly-bred steed, while his mistress's little jennet gently ambled along.

It was to both like a dream, that meeting; as, walking slowly beside her horse, his hand resting upon the saddle, Brace listened to Isa's faltered thanks, turning from time to time to gaze in the sweet, gentle face bent towards him--a face whose eyes met his with a soft, trusting look, that made his heart swell within his breast, till a rapid step from behind told of an intruder, and Lord Maudlaine made his appearance; when, with a sigh of regret, Isa held out her hand to be taken by Brace, who retained it within his own, while he unflinchingly encountered the fierce, haughty look of contempt and pride cast upon him by the Viscount.

The next minute Isa had withdrawn her hand, and, attended by Lord Maudlaine, gone towards the park, leaving Brace, as he strolled slowly home, to recall a score of things which he wished to have said.

Another meeting, and once more Brace was walking with her side by side, the hand which held her little whip not being withdrawn when he laid upon it his own, to stand at last gazing up in her face, and peering into her soft, sad eyes.

He tried to speak twice, but the words did not come; but he felt that time was pa.s.sing, and with an effort he broke the silence.

"Isa," he said, in deep, earnest tones, "I am going to be very bold. I have a question to ask--one whose answer shall make me happy, or send me wretched away. That gentleman--Lord Maudlaine--you know what rumour says: is the rumour true?"

She returned his gaze for a few moments by one as earnest, and in that brief s.p.a.ce she saw once more the scene in the marsh--felt, too, the icy water, and the chill as of coming death stealing over her, even while those brave arms held her so tightly; and, as she thought on, it seemed to her that the life he had won from the black pit should by right be his; and her look, as she gazed on unflinchingly in his face, was even, though abstracted, loving, trusting enough to have sent him away at peace. It was an answer to his question; but not yet content, he whispered, softly: "Isa--dear Isa, may I, then, hope?" "Miss Gernon, Sir Murray has requested me to see you back in safety," said a harsh voice at their side; and, on turning, Brace became aware of the presence of Lord Maudlaine, who must have approached upon the gra.s.s by which the lane was bordered for his coming to have been unperceived. "Sir Murray understands," continued the Viscount, "that you are often encountered during your rides, and thinks it better that you should not be alone."

"And, pray, who was his informant?" exclaimed Brace, fiercely.

"I was," said his lordship, in cold, meaning tones. "If you have any more to say you know my address."

Brace Norton felt that he had, indeed, much more to say, but a glance at Isa Gernon's troubled face restrained him, and in silence he allowed them to pa.s.s away; but not without his seeing that Lord Maudlaine was talking earnestly to what seemed unwilling ears.

The next day, after a sleepless night, Brace Norton rode over to the Castle, sent in his card, and asked to see Sir Murray Gernon.

In five minutes the answer came back that Sir Murray Gernon was engaged.

Feeling the slight deeply, but all the same nothing daunted, Brace called again and again, nerved by his strong, honest love, and determined to avow boldly that love, so as not to be accused of clandestine acts. Had he gained an interview, he would have earnestly pleaded his cause with the father, and have asked his sanction; but it was evident to Brace from the very first that Sir Murray would not see him, so he wrote a long appealing letter, the blood burning in his cheeks as he indited each line, asking favour towards his suit, but not with shame--his love was too honest for that.

Restless and impatient, Brace Norton awaited the reply, till he seemed almost in a state of fever. Both Captain and Mrs Norton knew the cause, but they were silent from the impression that it would be better for their son to find out for himself the hopelessness of his suit. Now Brace thought that the letter had miscarried, and wrote another, but paused before sending it, as he recalled the short s.p.a.ce of time that had elapsed since the first was written.

But at last came Sir Murray's answer, written in a cool, formal, gentlemanly spirit, exceedingly courteous, but with every sentence bearing a cold, despairing feeling to Brace Norton's heart as it requested that he, as an officer and a gentleman, would refrain from seeking further intimacy with Sir Murray Gernon's family. Intercourse even of the most formal nature was quite out of the question. In conclusion, Sir Murray thanked Mr Norton for the services he had rendered to his family, and left it to Mr Brace Norton's good sense to see that no further advances could be countenanced. Did Mr Brace Norton wish to know more--always supposing him ignorant, as his behaviour led Sir Murray Gernon to imagine--Mrs Norton would doubtless supply certain links, such as would show to her son the truth of Sir Murray's a.s.sertion--that intercourse between the families was out of the question.

Every word of that letter was so much molten misery, so much bitterness, that Brace Norton felt himself forced to drain to the dregs. He had no occasion to refer to his mother for confirmation of Sir Murray's words; and yet why could not reconciliation come? Despair was his answer, and he hurried out to walk for hours, seeking the spots where he had encountered her, when at last he saw her riding slowly along a lane, followed at some little distance by Lord Maudlaine.

For a few moments Brace stood irresolute. What should he do? Resign himself to his fate, and, waiting what time would bring forth, be patient? Had Isa been alone, perhaps he might have so acted; but there was the suitor favoured by the father dodging her like a shadow, and he smiled as he thought of the madness of waiting, when, as to what time would bring forth, there was the answer in the shape of the Viscount.

It was of no avail: the heart, he told himself, was ungovernable; and, forgetting Sir Murray's letter and all else in his love, he strode forward, and the next minute was at Isa's side.

Book 2, Chapter XIII.

"ONE-TWO!"

It is said that money has little to do with love. Be that as it may, the more often Lord Maudlaine's thoughts reverted to his friend Mr Braham, the more he increased his attentions to Isa Gernon. At first he attributed her indifference and coolness to the innate shyness of a young girl who had pa.s.sed the greater part of her life in absolute retirement; thinking, too, that as Sir Murray had all along shown himself in favour of the connection, all he had to do was to go on quietly for a few months, when the day would be fixed, the wedding take place, and he, possessed of the handsome dowry brought by his wife in exchange for an empty t.i.tle, would be free from the unpleasant visits and reminders of his money-lending acquaintances.

But of late matters had a.s.sumed an aspect that troubled him. This appearance of, to him, an entirely new character upon the stage, was a something for which he had not bargained. At first it was too ridiculous; the idea was preposterous that a young naval lieutenant should compete with him--should come between his n.o.bility and the object upon which he had set his choice: he--Lord Maudlaine--son of an Earl, with the said Earl's coronet looming for him in no very distant part of the future's horizon.

But there was the mishap in the marsh. Deuced unfortunate thing, you know. It wouldn't have mattered if it had been himself, and he had dived in after her; but for this impertinent fellow to be on the marsh, and run and jump in after Miss Gernon, it was too bad, you know--a deal too bad--and he couldn't stand much more of it.

"Horsewhip him!" said Sir Murray, with a fierce snarl, when, after a good deal of circ.u.mlocution, his lordship complained of the coolness of his intended, and her frequent encounters with Brace Norton.

"But--a--a don't you think--wouldn't it be better if you spoke to her upon the subject--forbade her, you know, to see him any more?" said his lordship.

"Horsewhip him, I tell you!" snarled Sir Murray. "Or, would your lordship like to wake up some morning to the fact that she had disgraced us by a foolish escapade--gone off, for instance, with this vagabond?"

said Sir Murray, fiercely.

"No! By Jove, no!" exclaimed the Viscount, turning pale at the very thought, and suffering from incipient symptoms of Braham on the brain.

"Because," said Sir Murray, giving an involuntary shudder, as he thought of the past--"because any anger on my part, any undue influence, would militate against your prospects--drive her, as it were, into the scoundrel's arms!"

"Don't put it in that light, please," said his lordship, faintly.

"You are young, strong, and active," continued Sir Murray. "Pay more attention to her; and, as for this man, if he will not take notice of the letter I have sent him, horsewhip him--shoot him, if needs be; for he is a cowardly hound, the son of a coward father!"

Sir Murray Gernon's eyes flashed, and his dark face grew darker, as he angrily hissed the latter words, before turning with clenched teeth, and walking up and down hastily.

"Think he is?" said the Viscount, in a low voice.

"Think!" echoed the baronet, with a world of scorn in his utterance of that one word.

"I won't stand any more of his nonsense, then!" exclaimed his lordship, nodding very fiercely. "It's quite time it was stopped, and I'll stop it!"

Sir Murray gave him a short, sharp look--half a.s.sent, half contempt--and then turned upon his heel, leaving his proposed son-in-law alone.

"What a savage bear he grows!" muttered his lordship, as soon as he was alone; but the next instant his harsh opinion was softened down by the recollection of Sir Murray's wealth; and he stood gazing for an instant from the open window over the lake at the line stretch of park land, with its n.o.ble timber, and recalled the last quiet conversation he had had with the baronet, when he was requested--in words which told most plainly of the owners intentions--not to cut down any of the timber, nor yet to drain the lake.

Five minutes after, his lordship walked into the drawing-rooms, and went through the whole suite, expecting every moment to see Isa reading on some lounge; but she was not there. He then walked into the breakfast and dining-rooms, the conservatory, and Lady Gernon's boudoir, ending by taking a turn in the garden; but Isa was still invisible.

"Seen Miss Gernon?" he said at last to the major-domo, whom he encountered in the hall.

"Me young lady went oot for her morning ride a gude half-hoor ago, my lord," said McCray; when, taking a hunting-crop from a stand close by, his lordship walked hurriedly away.

"Jenny, my gude la.s.sie," said the old Scot, as he entered the housekeeper's room some five minutes after, when returning from watching his lordship across the lawn--"Jenny, my gude la.s.sie, here's the auld coorse of true love rinning rougher than iver, and our wee pet bairn, I fear, going to be made unhappy. The ways of the world are very crooked, and I canna help thinking it wondrous strange that young Norton should be thrown in our darling's way as he is. I'm pitying him, too, la.s.sie, for he's a bra'e lad, and my heart wairmed to him for the way he saved the child; and he puts me in mind, too, of ane Alexander McCray twenty year agane, whose heart was sair as this laddie's is, I ken. But it all came reet for mine, Jenny. Will it come reet for the Nortons' boy?"

The housekeeper shook her head.

"What's to be done, la.s.sie?"

"Nothing," said Jane his wife, quietly, but with a sad look; "these things are beyond us, McCray, and must take their course."

"I'll put a stop to it, that I will!" muttered Lord Maudlaine, as he strode off across the lawn, and disappeared from McCray's sight. "Only let me see him hanging after her again!"

If his lordship's wish to see Brace Norton with Isa Gernon again were genuine, his gratification was quick in coming; for, at the end of half an hour's sharp walk, he caught sight of Isa and Brace almost at the same moment--just; in fact, as the latter hurried up, so as to reach the young girl before his favoured rival.

"Shall I horsewhip him before her, or shall I wait till he comes away?"

muttered his lordship. "He didn't take any notice of what I said last time, though I half thought that I should have heard from him."

His lordship stood irresolute for a few moments, but the way in which Brace was received forced him into action, and he strode past the groom, who stood at a respectful distance, and up to the pair.

"Look here, you!" he exclaimed to Brace, coa.r.s.ely. "This sort of thing won't do! You've been told that you're not to follow Miss Gernon about.

Do you hear?"

"Isa," said Brace, in a whisper to the trembling girl, "will you ride on?"