CHAPTER XXII

DICK'S RETURN

The Lady Dorothy Byng was in her chamber upstairs, pacing the floor, with bent head, restlessly, and very pale indeed. Lorry lay on the broad step in the window-place, watching her with pathetic, uncomprehending eyes. She was certainly unhappy. But why? Was it because, for a whole day, she had missed that frolicking Dick? Or was she unwell? Oppressed by the air of misfortune around him, whereunder no one laughed, or ran, or had their regular meals, Lorry lifted his black nose and gave a piteous, half-strangled whine. But even that, he found, did not draw his lady's eyes from the oaken floor, nor stay her pacing feet, nor bring a word from her closed lips. So she walked, and Lorry watched, for hours, till the sun came hot and hotter on the dog's back and threw the devices of the casement glass upon her Ladyship's white dress as she passed him, splashing her with colour one minute, and leaving her to go cold and gray into the shadow the next.

Suddenly she stopped with a start. Lorry, growling, bounded up to the casement and laid his nose on the sill. How foolishly men built their houses, he thought, for here, strain as he might, the casement was too high for him to see round into the yard, and yet he knew it was full of horses and men, strangers all.

"He is come!" cried her ladyship. "Too soon. He shall not have me till the time!" She was trembling now.

Lorry was too much occupied in barking, with anger and menace, to heed her. There were steps, running steps, in the corridor. Someone tried the latch. Lorry, changing his tone with bewildering suddenness, leapt across to the door, over-turning a stool on his way. He then set up such a scratching and pawing, with such frantic leaps and such joyous, echoing barks as made her Ladyship's brain whirl. Above the clamour she caught Dick's shrill cries.

"Cousin Dorothy! Open! Open, Cousin Dorothy! Be quick!"

Be quick! She flew, like Lorry, unbolted her door, and, catching Dick in her arms, went near smothering him with kisses. Lorry's wild efforts to be kissed also were unnoticed, and he could only find Dick's hair and the tip of one ear, which he industriously worked at, leaping, barking, and wagging his tail.

"He's come, Dick," her ladyship murmured.

But Dick, drawing back, and holding Lorry's head down by main force, so that he could speak without having his mouth licked, said: "You're safe, Cousin Dorothy--safe."

"There are men in the yard, Dick!" she said quickly.

"Our men," he said proudly. "And--oh, dear Cousin Dorothy,--where shall I begin?"

"Here," she said, drawing him down on the floor as she sank into a chair. "And you shall tell me first, Dick, you are safe--unhurt. That you have really come back. Lorry and I--we may as well confess it--"

"You thought I'd run away?"

She looked down at him remorsefully.

"You must try and forgive us," she said.

"I'll forgive you," Dick cried. "I'd forgive you anything. And what might you expect of a coward like me?"

She stopped him with a kiss.

"But I'll never forgive Lorry!" said Dick in a minute. "Never! No, sir! Go down! I pointedly told you about it. I relied on you, sir, to make her understand,--that I did."

Lorry sighed, with every show of contrition, thrusting his nose into his mistress's hand.

"You must pardon us both, Dick dear. And what said you?" she asked eagerly. "That I was safe?"

"Yes, yes, Cousin Dorothy. Why, John Dent is dead, and--"

And the story of his adventure followed, with many wondering, incredulous questions from her Ladyship. Indeed, Dick read something more than mere amazement in her face as he related his freedoms with the King. She half expressed a fear that Dick had been deceived again in some way. But Dick patiently assured her it was true, every word of it, and passed on to the arrangements His Majesty made, and how he then placed the matter in the hands of Giles--Giles, who was alive, who was there with his master,--Giles, who had come all the way with Dick, and had managed everything so excellent well.

"Oh, don't sing me his praises!" her ladyship said, lifting her hand. "Every particle of my appreciation is keeping for you."

"But I could have done nothing without Giles and His Majesty."

"Oh, I give you the King, Dick, and welcome!" she said. "But I take it as singular His Majesty should have given the affair--my affair, when you come to reflect, Dick, and I am a lady, into the hands of a groom. But you say you have officers with the troops--in command of them? Giles, I suppose, was to wait upon you."

Dick hid his face in her dress, and shook with laughter. The Earl of Lumley to wait on him!

"Oh, Cousin Dorothy!" he bubbled. He clapped his hands to his mouth to keep himself from telling all about dear Giles.

"Why do you laugh so, Dick?" she demanded. "Where is the occasion? You're over-excited, my brave little knight." She bent over him. "Where did His Majesty kiss you, Dick? We must keep the place sacred, I think."

Dick raised his face with the most exasperating chuckle.

"'Tis too late for that, Cousin Dorothy. Giles has been over the ground several times."

Her Ladyship made a slight, laughing gesture of contempt or annoyance, and he did not receive the proffered kiss.

Dick stood up.

"Well, Cousin Dorothy," he said slyly. "There is that Giles, you know, standing out there in the sun, very tired, maybe, and very hot, and--"

"And very thirsty, no doubt," she said. "Why did he not go in with the rest? You said you'd given Philip his orders to wait on them?"

"Yes, Cousin Dorothy, but Giles said he would wait outside till he had your Ladyship's permission to enter."

"Very proper," observed her Ladyship coolly. "Let him wait, Dick. I want your tale all over again. And then my thanks are to be made, Dickie."

But Dick looked positively frightened.

"Oh, Cousin!" he gasped, "I doubt we had better leave him no longer,--he--he--"

"You have much too soft a heart, Dick," she said. "Your stableman, now--There! Don't look so distressed. I will do anything you wish, Dick. I will even go and thank this worthy man for what he has done. And when he and the rest have all gone, and we are once more alone, I will thank you for what you have done, Dick--for the rest of my life."

"I want no thanks," said the boy, his face growing merry again as they went out together.

Lorry descended the first flight of shallow steps quite sedately behind them, but with a sniff he suddenly pushed past, fell precipitately down the next flight into the hall, and stood, stark and stiff, glaring out at the door.

"Man on the steps!" he barked viciously. "Strange man! One of these men who are hanging about here." He raced out in a quiver of fury.

"Farewell to your Giles, Dick!" said her ladyship. "Lorry will devour him ere we arrive."

But when they came in sight of the steps, they beheld that eccentric dog, Lorry, crouched and fawning at the stranger's feet. And the stranger was calling him a "good old lad" in an indifferent, good-humoured way, flicking his head with his glove, which mark of approval Lorry received with a meek thankfulness never accorded to his lady's demanded caresses or Dick's boisterously-received attentions. The Cavalier had had more pity for his horse than for himself; the bay had been sent out of the hot glaring sun, though Giles still waited her Ladyship's permission to enter. She halted at the top of the steps, and her eye ran over the man, his attitude, and his rose-coloured dress.

"Where is your Giles, Dick?" she demanded.

Before Dick had time to answer, the gentleman started and looked up. Baring his head with one hand, and pushing Lorry out of the way with the other, he advanced a step.

"May I come in, madam?" he asked.

Dick felt the hand he held tremble. He glanced from one to the other. What was happening? Her Ladyship caught away her hand, and swept down the steps to Giles with a cry. She gave him her hand and drew him in across the hall to the parlour. They went in, and Giles shut the door. Dick and Lorry looked at each other. The boy rubbed his eyes. The dog pattered to the door, and pressed his nose against the crack. Then, looking impatiently at Dick, he said with his eyes: "Come and open it; you know how." But Dick shook his head doubtfully.

"Better not, old fellow," he said. "'Tis queer; but they don't want us."

Lorry grunted and fidgeted about, nosing the hall-floor till he came on the glove which Giles had dropped. Then he gave a satisfied sigh, and lay down with his treasure between his paws, and his nose on it. By some instinct he gathered that Giles was a person to be courted, a man not given to caressing, but a man who would love a dog, and whom a dog must love and obey.

Dick stood irresolute, his hand playing with his sword-hilt.

"Ah, it's Giles! 'Tis all right," he said at last, and ran off to find Philip. Instead, he came upon young Captain Slingsby in the dining-room, finishing a stately repast, whilst opposite sat the clergyman who should have married her Ladyship to John Dent. Dick stayed to drink the King's health with them, and then coaxed Slingsby into the garden to ask for tales about Giles. He got what he wanted there, for Slingsby loved no theme so well as the praises of the Earl of Lumley, his goodness and his generosity, and his own lamentable folly in going against his excellent advice. They visited the soldiers, and Dick rushed about amongst them, forgetful of everything else, questioning, wondering, inspecting arms and accoutrements, and thinking how fine a thing it was to be a soldier and fight for the King. He had no notion how time was flying until he became aware that he was very hungry. Slingsby had fallen asleep under a tree in the garden, and to Dick's suggestion that he should come in and have dinner, returned a decided negative, punctuated with yawns.

"But if you were to place a delicate dish or two under my nose, Sir Richard," he said, just as Dick was departing, "I don't know that the smell, were it a well-chosen smell, would absolutely turn me."

"Right you are," said Dick. "I'll find something."

He ran off, and came back presently, staggering under a tray.

"Cold duck, sir," he observed, "with a cream and a compôte and a bottle of something Philip calls prime."

Slingsby sat up.

"Good fortune!" he said briskly, and set to work.

"I did not find my cousin anywhere," said Dick.

"Ah!" said Slingsby, with half-closed eyes, "and where is my lord?"

"I don't know," said Dick.

He was going down the passage to Philip's room, just after dinner, when he observed that the chapel-door was open, and that Philip and Bridget were whispering within. He went up to them. There were a great many flowers on the altar, and the clergyman was laying out his service-books and vestments.

"What is he doing?" Dick whispered. "There will be no service to-day."

To his confusion, Bridget burst into tears, and unceremoniously embraced him.

"Yes, yes, my little sir," the good woman said, wiping her eyes. "And it's yourself will wait on the groom. And the young captain to give her Ladyship away--God bless her! And all to end happily after all!"

Dick stared! Then turned on Philip.

"She's mad," he said judicially.

"Ay," Philip agreed, laughing. "I uphold you, sir. But a wedding, sir, I may tell you, will unhinge any woman's reason for the time. And we've you, sir, to thank for it all. 'He's a hero, Philip,' saith her Ladyship but a minute since. And--'Yes, my Lady,' say I. That being so, sir, may I make so bold as to ask your honour to shake hands with me, and may we be the first very heartily to congratulate your honour?"

"You're mad, too," said Dick, his eyes round with amazement. "Where's my Lady?" He darted away.

Bridget said: "God bless him, the pretty lamb!"

"Lamb!" said Philip contemptuously. "Lamb, quotha? Lion, more likely--brave little lion, I tell thee. Away with you! You an' your lambs!"