Rosamond's Thoughts and Fears.

107

ing a meeting more likely to be satisfactory than that morning's silent interview outside the tennis. court. Rosamond tried to realize the fact that in only a few hours she would be with him. Too strange and incredible it seemed to come to pass. Suppose, after all, something should happen to hinder this scheme; or, worse still, suppose it should be discovered. What would be the consequences to the three concerned in it? How would it be possible to leave the palace without observation? And, as to getting back again, Rosamond trembled as she thought of the innumerable chances of detection, if she failed to be in her room before the clock struck six; or if old nurse should take it into her head to come a little sooner than usual; or if Alice, the earliest riser in the family, should forestall old nurse, and steal in to perch on her bed, and wake her with a kiss What not by any means a rare occurrence. astonishment, what alarm her absence would produce! Nothing, in this case, could prevent her expedition from being brought to light. This fear, however, weighed less heavily on Rosamond's mind than her before-mentioned doubts and misgivings. She had a good deal of faith in Lady Carlisle's talents and power of carrying out any enterprise in which she might have an interest. Besides, the risk only gave an additional romance and excitement to the adventure, which Rosamond heartily appreciated. If Maurice might only have shared it with her! How often they had imagined

adventures together, and longed for a time when those deeds of heroism which they delighted to plan should become more than imaginary! Now, just such an enterprise as they had talked of was at hand, and Maurice must remain unconscious of it, while to Rosamond herself the event brought with it a cloud which had no place in those bright childish day-dreams. Such were the thoughts that kept the poor child awake and restless for fully an hour after Lady Carlisle's departure. To meditate on her difficulties calmly and dispassionately, as she had resolved to do when again left alone, proved a harder task than she had counted upon,—a task which excitement and want of sleep were but illcalculated to facilitate. Rosamond worried herself in vain with the endeavour to reason out the question which perplexed her. Those first impressions alone rested on her mind: in the first place, that Henry and loyalty must stand far before anything else in the world; and, secondly, that she was about to play the part of a traitor towards the Carewes. It was long past one o'clock when Rosamond, with a half-unconscious prayer to be kept from evil floating through her mind, from very weariness dropped at last to sleep.

CHAPTER IX.

A TETE-A-TETE WITH THE GENTLEMAN IN GREY.

'Down the wide stairs, a darkling way they found;

In all the house was heard not human sound.

They glide, like phantoms, into the wide hall;
Like phantoms, to the iron porch, they glide;
Where lay the porter in uneasy sprawl,
With a huge empty flagon by his side.'

KEATS.

ULL two hours before dawn the next morning, a figure, arrayed in a long dark-coloured cloak, with hood and

muffler, disposed so as almost entirely to shelter the face from view, crept noiselessly down the staircase leading to Rosamond's little turret-chamber. This figure was closely followed by another, its very counterpart in point of dress, but rather shorter, and very considerably slighter. Swiftly and silently these two figures glided down the stairs, and passed along the corridor, towards the end of which was the Countess of Carlisle's bedroom. Unspeakably warm, and bright, and comfortable did that room look to the two cloaked

figures when, the dark silent staircase and corridor at length passed in safety, they opened the door upon the light and warmth within. A small ebony table was drawn up near the blazing fire, and over it Lady Carlisle-her stately black velvet robes exchanged for a loose silken wrapper of most marvellous pattern and brilliant hue-was standing, apparently intent upon the preparation of some fragrant steaming mixture in a little silver cup. She came forward with a kindly greeting, and drew the smaller of the dark-cloaked figures towards her little table by the fire.

'Poor child!' she said, putting back the hood and muffler, and displaying to view Rosamond's unwontedly pale and serious face. 'You are only half awake yet. No marvel, either; and well-nigh blue with cold besides! Now, my love, you will favour me by sitting down here for a moment, and drinking something very good that I have ready for you; something that will call the bloom back to these white cheeks again, and fit you for this little piece of business that you have undertaken.' Thus saying, the lady patted one of the white cheeks encouragingly, and produced, in the aforementioned silver cup, some hot sack posset, which, to the eyes of the shivering Rosamond, had certainly a most inviting appearance. The Countess took note, with much satisfaction, of the restorative effects which she had rightly foretold; and when the cup was emptied, and the girl's cheek began to regain its natural colour, and her eye its own

Lady Carlisle's Directions to Rosamond. 111

bright, energetic glance, her Ladyship laughed the same little laugh that had escaped her when, a few hours before, she had stood by Rosamond's bedside and watched the brown head dive with such wonderful rapidity beneath the quilt.

'Aha! now you look something more alive again, Mistress Rose; so we will proceed to say what is needful to say at once, for it is full time to start if you are to return by six. Now, child, all you have to do, in the first place, is to trust yourself to Lettice.' Rosamond looked round for that staid and sober handmaiden, who, she now discovered for the first time, was no longer present.

'Trust yourself wholly to her,' Lady Carlisle continued, until you reach the house of which I told you. Then say you would speak privily with Mr. Tripp (there is no need to mention my name to any save your brother), and, when you are alone with him, ask for Captain Henry Fane. After that, you know what to do. Tell your brother what I told you last night: that to my grief I find the Earl has heard-whence, I know notwhat chanced yesterday morning, and that he would do well to adventure himself no more into the precincts of St. James's. Also, my advice is that he should cross the Channel without loss of time. But, Rosamond, whatever may befall, do not stay too long-not beyond half an hour at the utmost. Remember that you must not fail to be back before six. Think of what would follow if you should be missing! You will come to my