Lady Eleanor did not speak; she only laid her hand gently on the
woman's shoulder, which sank down and down until she was bent double.
Colonel George at once slipped out of the room and presently returned
with wine, which he gave to Lady Eleanor. The woman revived when she
had drunk a little, and then Colonel George said to her: "Now, my good
woman, you must let me go back with you to your son and take with me
some things for him. Don't be afraid"--(for the woman was shaking her
head)--"I am your friend and you may trust me to keep your secret if
you have any to keep. Think, now, if I know the way, you can stay with
your son and I can bring him up whatever he wants on any day that you
please; and I'll bind myself not to show the way to any one, nor to
come back except on the day that you choose."
The woman hesitated and looked from Colonel George to Lady Eleanor, who
said: "Colonel Fitzdenys is right. You can trust him, and you will
show him the way; and I must come too in case I can be of use.
Remember that you saved my children for me."
The woman still shook her head, but she was evidently wavering.
Colonel George's tone of quiet authority at last prevailed with her,
and she consented to show them the way, saying gruffly that she would
always prefer a soldier, who knew what he was about, to a doctor. But
she refused to ride a pony which Lady Eleanor offered to her, and
insisted on starting off by herself, appointing a place in a valley by
the edge of the moor where she promised to meet them without fail.
Pages:
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124