_ CHAPTER THIRTY ONE. YOUNG MILES GAFFIN AGAIN
May had been anxiously looking forward to another visit from Harry on the morning after he had openly declared his love, and she had more than once gone to the front door to watch for his coming. She endeavoured, however, to fix her thoughts as she read, as usual, to Miss Mary from the book of books, and to listen to Miss Jane's comments, though she might have been puzzled to give any very clear account of the remarks she heard.
"Our May does not seem quite herself," observed Miss Mary, when the two sisters sat together the next morning. "Poor girl, it must have been very trying when she felt that Lady Castleton's and Julia's eyes were fixed on her during their visit, especially if they suspected that Harry admires her."
"We ought to have foreseen the consequences of encouraging him to come here," said Miss Jane, "though my conscience acquits me of having designedly thrown the young people together."
"I love May for her gentleness and sweet manner, and her kindness to me," observed Miss Mary. "It never occurred to me that she possessed the beauty which would attract a young and gallant officer like our cousin."
"I shall blame myself if the peaceful happiness May has hitherto enjoyed is interrupted from our want of discretion, dear girl," said Miss Jane. "Though nothing we can do can effectually restore it, we can make her all the amends in our power; and I have long been thinking of placing her in as independent a position as is possible should we be removed from the world. I have determined to make my will and to leave her all my property."
"The very thought which has occurred to me," said Miss Mary, "and I should wish to do the same."
"I am glad to find that you agree with me, and the sooner we do so the better," observed Miss Jane. "I will write to Mr Shallard and beg him to come over here the first day he is at leisure. Sir Ralph ought to be able to well provide for his children, and they cannot miss our small fortune, nor has he any reason to expect that we might have left it to them."
Scarcely had the two sisters come to this understanding than May entered the room. Her countenance, usually so bright and cheerful, looked sad.
"What is the matter, my dear May?" asked Miss Jane.
"Mrs Brown's daughter, Peggy, has just come up to say that my kind mother is very ill--the doctor has been sent for, but that she seems anxious to see me," answered May. "With your leave I will go to her at once, and I hope to be back before Harry leaves you, should he come to-day."
"Had she not unwisely sent for the doctor I would have tried to accompany you, though I feel scarcely able to leave the house," said Miss Jane. "But I must not interfere with him."
"I am sure that you would be welcome, as you are everywhere. But if you will allow me I will run down to mother at once and ascertain what is the matter with her."
"Do so, my dear, and send Peggy back if you find that you must remain with Mistress Halliburt."
May, though greatly disappointed at thus missing Harry, hurried down to the cottage with Peggy Brown, often looking in the direction of Texford in the hopes of seeing him coming along the road. Still the duty and affection she owed her kind foster-mother prompted her to hasten on.
She found the dame in bed. Seldom having been ill, the good woman was greatly alarmed about herself. She had caught a chill and was feverish and weak. Adam, and Jacob were away in the _Nancy_, and there was no one except Peggy to attend to her, as Mrs Brown had only waited for May's coming to go back to her own cottage. May regretted that Miss Jane had not accompanied her, as the dame, she thought, would probably have been benefited by her skill.
At length the doctor arrived.
"Cheer up, Mistress Halliburt, we will soon bring you round; with your fine constitution you have nothing to be afraid of. I can leave you safely under charge of this young lady," said the doctor in a cheerful tone, bowing to May. "I will look in by-and-bye, and if I find you better, as I am sure I shall, she can return home. Send Peggy up and she will bring you back the medicine I wish you to take immediately."
May felt greatly relieved at hearing this, though the dame shook her head, apparently not believing him. In spite, however, of her fears the dame got better by the time Adam came back, and the doctor soon afterwards looking in assured May that she might leave her mother without the slightest anxiety, for as it was Saturday Adam was not going to sea in the evening.
May, leaving a message for Jacob who was still on board the _Nancy_, thanking him for the last shells he had brought, and saying that more would be acceptable, set off on her walk home.
Jacob had ascertained, so the dame told her, that young Gaffin and his father had been seen to leave the inn some days before on horseback, with valises behind them, and that she thus need not fear being again annoyed by him. She hurried on, her heart beating quicker than usual at the thought of meeting Harry. She was sure he would have remained at Downside till her return; indeed she had fancied that he might have come down to the cottage, but perhaps the wish not to attract the attention of the inhabitants of the village induced him not to do so. She had nearly reached the gate of Downside when she saw standing before her not ten paces off, the very youth who had before given her so much annoyance.
"He will not surely dare to speak to me now," she thought. "If he does I can run home without replying. If I turn back it would show that I am afraid of him, and he would overtake me before I could reach any cottage."
She had but little time, however, for consideration, so she walked steadily on, simply crossing over to the other side of the road and keeping her eyes directly before her.
Miles, however, had no intention of letting her escape so easily. Advancing a few steps he took off his hat with an air which he intended to be full of respect, saying as he did so in a humble tone--
"I came, Miss Halliburt, to beg your pardon and to express a hope that you will forgive me for what occurred. I have been miserable ever since."
May took no notice of this speech, but only walked somewhat faster than she had hitherto been doing towards the gate.
"Won't you deign even a reply to my humble address?" said Miles, in a half whining tone, which scarcely concealed the irritation he felt.
Still May remained silent, hoping that in another minute she should be safe within her friends' grounds.
Miles went on speaking in the same strain, but the tone of his voice showed that he was losing patience. Suddenly he changed his tone.
"Just listen to me," he exclaimed. "I have the means of making your fortune, and my own too. I know who you are, and if you will marry me I will enable you to gain your rights, and make you as wealthy as any lady in the land need wish to be."
May, believing that what he said was a falsehood, merely uttered to gain her attention, hurried on as before.
"I say I am not going to stand this a second time," exclaimed the young ruffian, seizing her by the wrist. "If you won't come to terms by fair means, you must expect me to use a little force when it is for your own good. Don't be screaming out; I will tell you what I want you to know, and what you yourself would give anything to learn, though I can only tell you if you will promise to marry me, and keep it a secret till then."
"Let go my hand!" were the first words May uttered, still not attending to what he said, her alarm prevented her from understanding the meaning of his words, as it did also from crying out for help; indeed, so few people passed that way, that unless her voice was heard at Downside, it was not probable that any help could be obtained.
"Listen," he exclaimed, trying to force her back from Downside. "I tell you I have got something particular to say to you, and I won't say it unless you will listen quietly."
"Let me go," repeated May again. "I do not wish to listen to you, all I require is to be allowed to go home. If you really have anything to say you can communicate it in a letter to the Miss Pembertons."
"That won't suit me," answered Miles. "I have told you before, if gentle means won't succeed I must use force, though I am sorry for it," and he again began to drag her forward.
May, though now more alarmed than ever, recovered her voice, and made use of it by uttering a loud shriek. It might have been heard at Downside, and Miles seemed to think that it was, for he turned his head anxiously in that direction, expecting apparently to see some one issue from the gate.
May, struggling to get free, looked also the same way. Again she uttered a cry for help. At the same moment a man bounded round the corner of the road, and before Miles was aware of his approach, he was laid prostrate on the ground by a blow from Jacob Halliburt's powerful fist. "Run, Miss May, run," he exclaimed, "there are other men coming, but I will settle this one before they are here."
May instinctively ran to the gate. No sooner had she gained it than she turned round intending to beckon Jacob to follow her to the house, and to leave the wretched man without inflicting further punishment on him. As she did so she saw Jacob lifting Miles on his feet. Scarcely was he up than Jacob, telling him to defend himself, again knocked him down.
Jacob, as soon as he had done so, seeing that she had not reached the house, again entreated her to hurry there.
"If you will go I will follow you in a moment," he shouted, "you won't be safe till then."
As Jacob spoke she saw four armed men on horseback galloping along the road. Believing that Jacob was following close behind her she rushed into the house. He sprang toward the gate intending to defend it should the horsemen, as he thought they would, attempt to enter. Had he possessed any weapon he might have held his post, but in another instant one of the horsemen dealt him a blow with the butt end of a pistol, which laid him senseless on the ground.
By this time Miles had began to recover his courage, and one of the men leaping from his horse helped him up. A gleam of satisfaction lighted up his eyes as he saw what had occurred to Jacob.
"If it hadn't been for that fellow I should have kept the girl till you came up," he exclaimed. "Let us make sure of him at all events, and I will manage to get hold of her another time when there will be no one to interfere."
Scarcely a word was spoken, the men seeming ready enough to agree to what Miles proposed. A couple of leathern thongs were produced, and some pieces of rope, and before Jacob recovered his senses he was bound hand and foot, and lifted up in front of one of the men on horseback.
"We can do no more now, and the sooner we are away from this the better," said Miles, "or some one will be down upon us, and we shall be suspected of making off with the fisherman's son. I must be away over the fields, and shall be down at the beach almost as soon as you are." _