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Won from the Waves, a novel by William H. G. Kingston |
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Chapter 38. Alarms |
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_ CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT. ALARMS The family had retired to rest. Headland, however, was sitting up, feeling no inclination to sleep, and having numerous subjects to occupy his mind. He looked at his watch. It was one o'clock. "After all, the only course which honour dictates lies straight before me. I would not persuade Julia to marry me without her father's consent; and if he withholds it I shall remain pledged to her, and go to sea till he withdraws his opposition." At that moment the hall door bell rang a loud peal. Taking his lamp Headland went downstairs, hoping to find that Harry had returned. As no servant had appeared, he commenced withdrawing the bolts. Not being accustomed to the operation, he was some time about it. "Bear a hand, let me in as fast as you can," said a voice. It was Harry's. He spoke in a hurried and excited tone. Headland succeeded at last, and Harry staggered in, looking very pale. There was blood on his coat-sleeve and down his side. "My dear fellow, what has happened?" exclaimed Headland. "I have been attacked by highwaymen or ruffians of some sort, and though I beat them off, one of them sent a bullet through my side, and another gave me an ugly slash with a hanger. Thanks to my good steed, and a stout stick I carried instead of my whip, I kept them at bay till I got clear away." "Come to your room at once then, and have your hurts looked to; you seem weak from loss of blood." "I am somewhat faint, and shall be glad of some refreshment if we can rouse up the butler; but I do not wish to alarm my mother and Julia by making any disturbance in the house." Headland having helped Harry to his room, received his directions where to find the servants, and went in search of them without waiting to hear more of his adventures. "Thieves and robbers in the house! I'll be after them anon," exclaimed Boodle, the old butler, from within, giving sundry grunts and groans while trying to arouse himself. Directly afterwards he made his appearance with night-cap on head, his breeches just slipped on supported by a single brace, and his feet in slippers, while in one hand was a blunderbuss and the other held a candle. "You will find no thieves to fight with," said Headland, smiling at his appearance. "We only want you to bring a bottle of wine as a cordial, and afterwards to obtain some bandages from the housekeeper. Call some one to take Mr Harry's horse, and come as soon as you can." Headland hurried back to Harry's room. "I believe I have only received flesh wounds of no great consequence, and shall soon be all to rights," said Harry. "Had we not better send off for a surgeon," asked Headland, "though I will do my best in the meantime." "He or the messenger might be shot at on his way," answered Harry. "Your doctoring will be quite sufficient for the present, and we shall see how I feel in the morning." Boodle soon appeared with the wine. He almost let the bottle drop as he saw the blood on Harry's dress. "Dear, dear! what has happened, Mr Harry?" he asked with a look of horror. "Nothing of consequence," answered Harry. "Shall I call up her ladyship and Sir Ralph and Mrs Trimmings?" "Pray, my good Boodle, do nothing of the sort; just get what Captain Headland requires, and then turn in and go to sleep again. We sailors, you know, are accustomed to this sort of thing." Boodle having become more composed, hastened away to get the bandages and some hot water, while Headland, who had at different times assisted the surgeon on board ship, prepared to dress his friend's hurts. In due course Harry greatly revived, and was able to tell his story. "You will be anxious," he said, "to hear about our chase. We thought at first that we should overhaul the lugger, as we had the breeze while she was becalmed. Still she managed to slip through the water. We kept her in sight all night, and the next morning the wind coming ahead I was in great hopes that we should get up to her--indeed we actually got within half-a-mile. Another slant of wind favouring her, she went away with her sheets eased off to the eastward, and shortly afterwards we lost sight of her in a thick mist which swept over the German Ocean. We stood on for some hours in the hopes of sighting her again, but when the fog cleared she was nowhere to be seen. The commander of the cutter declared that he had done all he could, and that we might as well look for a needle in a bundle of hay as search longer for the lugger, so we stood back for Hurlston." It was some time after nightfall when we landed, and having seen poor Adam safe in his cottage, I, of course, went up to Downside to let the ladies know of our return. I was not aware how quickly the time passed. At length, finding how late it was, I mounted my horse and rode towards Texford. I had just got out of the village when two fellows started up in front of my horse and tried to seize the bridle, when they treated me as I told you. With two blows of my stick I made them let go, when the animal springing forward I got clear of them, and, as you may suppose, did not draw rein till I reached this. They may have been highwaymen, but I suspect that they belonged to the smugglers' gang, and waylaid me in revenge for my interference with regard to young Halliburt. Headland, recollecting the character he had heard of Gaffin, suggested that he possibly, with one of his companions, had attacked Harry. "We must see about it to-morrow," he added, "and I must now insist on your going to bed, Harry, and trying to go to sleep, or your hurts will probably bring on fever. You must let me take up my berth in this arm-chair, that I may watch over you during the night." Though Harry objected, Headland insisted on remaining, and the night passed away, Harry having given him very little trouble. Headland was fortunate enough to meet Julia before the rest of the family had made their appearance. He thus was able to give her the first account of what had occurred, and to assure her that though Harry might be kept in the house a few days, he was in no danger. She at once hurried to his room. He made light of his hurts, and declared that he should come down to breakfast as usual. She persuaded him, however, to remain in bed. He consented to do so on condition that she would send over to May, and account for his non-appearance at Downside that day. Sir Ralph was very indignant at hearing of the outrage, and determined at once to take steps to discover the perpetrators. He had wished to speak to his son, and was annoyed at being unable to do so, as Lady Castleton persuaded him that any agitation would be injurious to Harry. A surgeon had been sent for and gave a favourable report, complimenting Captain Headland on the way he had treated his patient. Julia and Headland met constantly in Harry's room, both being anxious to assist in nursing him. In a couple of days he was able to dress and come downstairs. Perhaps he would have remained up longer had he known the ordeal he was about to go through. Harry was sitting in the drawing-room when he received a message from Sir Ralph, requesting him to come into the study. "My father is going to question me about May," he thought. "I had hoped to escape this for some time to come; but I must be firm and not allow his prejudices to cause her unhappiness." He walked slowly in. Sir Ralph closed the door and placed him in an arm-chair, and took his usual seat at his writing-table. "Harry," he said, "I had sufficient confidence in you to suppose that, when you brought your friend Captain Headland to the house, you knew that he was a man of family and good connections, so that should he fall in love with your sister no objections were likely to be raised. Am I right in giving you credit for this amount of wisdom?" Harry felt greatly relieved on finding that he was not to be questioned about May. "My friend Headland, sir," he said, "is a first-rate officer and an excellent fellow, and is sure to gain credit for himself and to rise high in the service." "That may be," observed Sir Ralph. "But I wish to know if he is a man of family and a fit match for your sister, for I understand that he has of late paid her great attention." "I think so highly of him that I am sure any girl would be fortunate in winning his affections," answered Harry. "That's not the question I wish to have answered. I wish to know whether he is of good family, and has a sufficient fortune to support a wife, as Julia ought to be supported." "On the first point I cannot enlighten you," answered Harry; "for I confess that I do not know of what family he is, but he has been very fortunate in making prize money, and I am sure he has quite enough to live in a way to satisfy Julia." "I was afraid it might be so from never having heard him speak of his family," said Sir Ralph. "You have acted very imprudently, Harry, in bringing a man of his description here. Though I do not wish to act with discourtesy, I desire you will give him to understand that he is no longer welcome at Texford." "That is impossible, father," exclaimed Harry. "He is devotedly attached to Julia, and I am sure she is to him. If he is told to go, I must go also. I have said that, though I do not know his family, for the simple reason that he does not know it himself. He is everything that is noble, and good, and excellent, and I would rather see Julia marry him than any other person in existence." "I know the world better than you do, Harry, and such a marriage as you wish me to sanction for your sister is not calculated to promote her welfare, and that is the point I, as her father, have to consider." "If she is not allowed to marry Headland she will be miserable," exclaimed Harry. "I had considered the point maturely before I sent for you," said Sir Ralph, "and I wish to save your friend the annoyance of being spoken to by me. If you refuse to tell him my determination, I shall have to do so. And now, Harry, I have another matter to speak to you about." Harry grew nervous. "I understand during my absence you have paid frequent visits to Downside." "Yes, sir," said Harry, "Our cousins kindly invited me there." "I know they did, and placed a young lady, I hear, of some personal attractions in your way, and, like a sailor, you directly tumbled over head and ears in love with her. I strip the matter of the romance with which you may be inclined to surround it. Do I not speak the truth?" "I confess, sir," said Harry, determined to speak boldly, "I have met at the Miss Pembertons a young lady to whom I have declared my love." "You have declared your fiddlestick," exclaimed the baronet, with less than his usual dignity. "You could make no promise without my sanction, and that I cannot give you. You can let the girl know this in any way you like." "My affections were engaged before I was aware of it, and as I am of age, and the young lady is in every way calculated to insure my happiness, and I have the means of supporting her without taxing you, I felt that I had a right to propose to her." "In other words, you were entrapped before you saw the meshes spread to catch you, and discarding every other consideration, are ready to disobey me, and give up your profession, and all your prospects of advancement in life, for the sake of a pretty face," observed the baronet, sarcastically. "Though _you_ are ready to make a fool of yourself, I must exert my paternal authority and save you from ruin." "But I do not contemplate giving up my profession, and the prize money I have already made, with what I may hope to obtain, will give me ample means to support a wife," answered Harry. "Have you calculated, may I ask, to what this princely fortune you speak of amounts?" "Three or four hundred a year, sir, not including my pay; and the young lady herself is not penniless, for our cousins have resolved to leave her their property." "Our cousins leave a stranger their property!" exclaimed Sir Ralph. "It should be Julia's or yours; it came through the Castletons, and should return to them." "So it will, sir," said Harry, having, as he hoped, caught his father in a trap, "when May marries me." "I see how it is," observed the baronet, not noticing Harry's last remark. "Our sanctimonious cousins wish to get a husband for this girl they have picked up, and as they are not likely to meet any other young gentleman in the secluded way they live, they have entrapped you." "I assure you, sir, you do them great wrong," observed Harry, warmly. "I went to the house of my own accord, and I am sure it did not enter their heads that I should fall in love with their friend. I wish, sir, that you could see them and the lady you condemn. Possessing as you do so exquisite a taste in female beauty and refinement, I am sure you will admire her." "I may possibly call at the Miss Pembertons, because I wish to express my opinion of their conduct in the matter," said the baronet, wishing not to appear influenced by his son's remarks. "I may then see this girl who has caught you. I tell you that if she were as beautiful as Venus, nothing would alter my determination. May I ask, do you know who she is? Your mother has only spoken to me of her as the Miss Pembertons protege." Harry, feeling perfectly sure that should he answer the question his father would be still more adverse to his marriage, and would possibly express himself forcibly on the subject, replied-- "I wish, sir, that you would see her before I answer the last question. I wish you to judge her on her own merits, independent of all other considerations." Harry had maintained the conversation with a good deal of spirit, though he felt somewhat exhausted, when his father, turning to the table, began to write without apparently noticing him. While thus seated, his eye fell on the picture of his long lost uncle which hung next to Sir Reginald's. Though he had been often in the room, he had never particularly noticed it, for it was in a bad light, and the features were not distinct. A gleam of sunlight now coming into the room fell directly on it, and suddenly, as he gazed, a strange idea came into his mind. He thought, and thought. "Yes, the features and expression remind me much of what he was at the same age, and yet it must be fancy." Sir Ralph suddenly interrupted his reveries. "Harry," he said, "I do not wish to quarrel with your friend, that is not my way, but you will take an early opportunity of advising him to spend the remainder of his time on shore elsewhere." "But has Headland proposed to you for Julia?" asked Harry. "No, and I wish to prevent him from doing so," said Sir Ralph. "We shall part on much better terms than would be the case had I to refuse his offer, and I dislike such a scene as is likely to follow. If he goes away without being engaged she will soon forget him, and he, employed in active service, will forget her; the matter will thus be settled, and much inconvenience saved." _ |
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