"Sir Willmott," was the soldier's reply, who, now that Dalton was really
gone, began to fear he had done wrong in permitting his escape, and
therefore resolved to brave it haughtily, "I can answer for my own
actions. Methinks you are cold and hot as best serves your purpose!"
Then turning abruptly from him, he added, "We will but intrude upon the
hospitality of this mourning bride," glancing at Constantia's dress, and
smiling grimly, "until some tidings be obtained of the person who has
perpetrated this horrid murder; and having refreshed our horses, return
forthwith; for his Highness is impatient of delay, and 'tis good fifty
miles to London. Our orders were, Sir Willmott, that you hold no
communion with any; so that, if you have aught to say to Mistress Cecil,
it must be said at once."
"I can only offer my protestations against this tyrannical--ay, sir, I
speak boldly, and repeat it--this tyrannical mandate--and assure the
fair dame that I consider her my lawful wife."
Constantia made no reply. Colonel Jones then gave the Lady Frances a
slip of paper from the Protector, which merely stated that he thought
she ought to remain with her friend, until the mysterious rumour was
either cleared up or confirmed. Lady Frances right joyfully assented;
and Constantia, overpowered by a multitude of contending feelings, led
the way with her father, who seemed as passive and as uninterested in
the events of that most eventful hour, as if he were a child of a
twelvemonth old. The soldiers who had been sent to reconnoitre soon
returned, for night was closing upon them, and they had searched the
ruins of Minster, and galloped over the wild hills of Shepey, without
being able to trace the misguided Jewess. Colonel Jones could,
therefore, do nothing more than advise Sir Michael Livesey (the sheriff,
who resided, as we have stated, at Little Shurland) of the circumstance
that had occurred, and send off to King's Ferry, Sheerness,
Queenborough, and all the little hamlets along the coast, information of
the melancholy event, with orders to prevent any stranger, male or
female, from quitting the island, until his Highness's future pleasure
was known.
The murder of Lady Cecil's favourite was calculated to excite strong
feelings among all classes; for the poor had long considered the
residence of so good a family on their island as a blessing from Heaven;
more particularly, as the former possessor, Sir Herbert, Sir Robert's
elder brother, only lived at Cecil Place occasionally, being of too gay,
too cavalier a temperament, to bide long in so solitary a dwelling. He
had been warmly attached to the house of Stuart; and while his younger
brother sought, and made friends of the Parliamentarian faction, he
remained steady in his loyalty, and firm in his attachment to the
unfortunate and unpopular Charles. Upon this topic we may hereafter
treat: at present, we have to do with the living, not the dead.