H. C. Bailey

“ The bold, irregular features that nature meant to be humorous were curved and lined with gloom. None of the best things in life had fallen to the lot of my Lord Tranmere. He had found neither work nor love. Seven years before, with a boy's loyalty, he followed King James into exile. He fought for King James's cause in Ireland as long as a man might, and far longer than the brave king himself. For King James he flung away home and wealth and country; then, like many another, was taught that the sacrifice was made for one unworthy, that a base heart beat in his king. ”

“ IT was the year of grace 1695. The king in possession was King William III., whom no Englishman loved. He was not a man easy to love. The king by right, the king in exile, at St. Germain en Laye, eating the bounty of Louis le Grand, was James II., whom some few Englishmen still contrived to love; whom none, though much desirous, could respect.
The sun of a July afternoon made the air languid in the rose-garden of Fairford. Crimson and white and cream-yellow the roses hung above two fair women. On a low seat cut in the turf bank sat Mistress Kitty Islip and Lady Tranmere. ”

“ The king looked at Fairford. “You are strangely accurate in prophecy,” said he.
“But, i' gad, 'tis all a lie,” cried Fairford. “He came for his own traitorous ends, My sister wishes only never to see him again.”
“Is yours so fashionable a wife, my Lord Tranmere?” the king asked.
“Ah, bah, have done with the farce!” cried Tranmere, flushing. “Your curst trick has won. You wanted my head. You——”
“Who? I?” said the king quickly. “My lord, you value yourself too high. Your death interests me as little as your life. ”

“ But Dorothy's husband, with a boy's silly loyalty, stood by his rightful king. He followed King James to exile. His estates were forfeit. He was proclaimed traitor. After all her father's schemes my Lady Tranmere was left the wife of an outlawed pauper. Her father, kind friends said, died of disgust. But the girl's years passed happily enough. No sorrow for that stupid loyal soul, her husband, troubled her. How could she care for a boy she had seen for only ten minutes of her life? Why should she think of him as husband? She scarce yet knew what womanhood was. ”

“ My Lord Lenham flung away with an impatient gesture. “Oh, ay! I am ready to pay for her,” he cried.
“Ah, love, all-conquering love!” my Lord Fairford sighed poetically. “Well, my lord, you have also at Lenham Castle a picture to my taste—the Traversari Raphael!”
“No, damme!” my Lord Lenham snapped. “'Tis the gem of the gallery.”
“The rest indeed is of little worth,” my Lord Fairford agreed. “But you seem to forget, my dear lord, that I must have some requital for bringing on my sister the grief of womanhood.” ”

“ It is Mistress Kitty Islip—the gown of cream silk—who is pulling the spaniel's ears. Small and dainty she is of face and form, with rosy cheeks and glossy brown hair, and mirth in her eyes and her lips. She has pulled the spaniel's ears so hard that he rises and walks away. You observe his air of his outraged virtue as he flops down again out of reach. If it were not so hot he would have yelped.
Mistress Kitty Islip is left to her own thoughts.
“Dorothy,” says she in a moment, “Dorothy, do you never want a husband?”
Lady Tranmere opened her eyes. “No,” she said placidly. ”

“ My Lord Lenham snorted. “Gadsbud, Fairford, what was your father seeking, to make so curst a match?”
“What his son seeks in making another curst match, my lord—profit. Tranmere was a child? He was the richest child in England. He is a Jacobite? We were all Jacobites then. Who could tell that he would not have the sense to rat, like ourselves? Well, he had not. He is begging his bread in France. I profess, my lord, I care for Tranmere now no more than I should for you if you were he....” Dorothy's brother laughed gently. ”

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1961, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 62 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”