Frank Fairlegh

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"Is it not rather late?" replied Fanny hesitatingly.

"Not if we begin now," returned Oaklands.

"Mr. Lawless was offering to show me some tricks with cards; as they
will not take so long a time as a game of chess, perhaps that would be
most advisable this evening."

"Whichever you prefer; I will ring for cards," replied Oaklands coldly.
He then waited until the servant had executed the order, and, as soon as
Lawless had attracted public attention to his performance, left the room
unobserved.

~328~~ Wonderful things did the cards effect under Lawless's able
management--very wonderful indeed, until he showed you how they were
done; and then the only wonder was that you had not found them out for
yourself, and how you could have been stupid enough to be taken in by so
simple a trick: and very great was Lawless on the occasion, and greater
still was Ellis, who was utterly sceptical as to the possibility of
performing any of the tricks beforehand, and quite certain, as soon
as he had seen it, that he knew all about it, and could do it easily
himself, and who, on trying, invariably failed; and yet, not profiting
one bit by his experience, was just as sceptical and just as confident
in regard to the next, which was of course attended by a like result.
Very wonderful and very amusing was it all, and much laughter did it
occasion; and the minutes flitted by on rapid wings, until my mother
discovered that it was time for us to start on our walk to the cottage,
a mode of progression of which Sir John by no means approved; he
therefore rang the bell, and ordered the carriage. While they were
getting it ready Harry's absence was for the first time observed, and
commented on.

"Did anybody see when he left the room?" inquired Sir John.

"Yes," replied I, "he went away just as Lawless began his performances."

"Dear me! I hope he was not feeling ill," said my mother.

"Ill, ma'am!" exclaimed Ellis, "impossible; you don't know Mr. Oaklands'
constitution as well as I do, or such an idea could never have occurred
to you; besides, you can't for a moment suppose he would think of being
taken suddenly ill without having consulted me on the subject. I must
go and see after him, ma'am, directly, but it's quite impossible that he
should be ill;" and as he spoke he left the room with hurried steps.

"My dear Fanny, how you made me jump! I hope you haven't done any
mischief," exclaimed my mother, as Fanny, moving suddenly, knocked down
the card-box, and scattered the contents on the carpet.

"I am sadly awkward," returned Fanny, stooping to pick up the box; "I do
not think it is injured."

"My dear child, it does not in the least signify," said Sir John, taking
her kindly by the hand; "why, you have quite frightened yourself, you
silly little thing; you are actually trembling; sit down, my dear, sit
down--never mind the cards. Frank, if you'll ring the bell, Edmunds will
see to that."

~329~~ "No, no! we'll pick 'em up," exclaimed Lawless, going down on
all fours; "don't send for the butler; he's such a pompous old boy; if
I were to see him stooping down here, I should be pushing him over, or
playing him some trick or other. I shouldn't be able to help it, he's so
jolly fat. What a glorious confusion! kings and queens and little fishes
all mixed up together!--here's the knave of clubs--hail-fellow-well-met
with a thing that looks like a salmon with a swelled face! Well, you
have been and gone and done it this time, Miss Fairlegh--I could not
have believed it of you, Miss Fairlegh, oh!"

"Mind you pick them up properly," retorted Fanny; "if you really were
such a conjurer as you pretended to be just now, you would only have to
say 'hocus pocus,' and the cards would all jump into the box again in
proper order."

"Then I should lose the pleasure of going on my knees in your service.
There's a pretty speech for you, eh! I'll tell you what--you'll make
a lady's man of me now, before you've done with me. I'm polishing
rapidly--I know I am."

"It's all right!" exclaimed Ellis, entering. "I found Mr. Oaklands lying
on the sofa in the library; he says he feels a little knocked up by his
walk this morning, and desired me to apologise for his absence, and wish
everybody good-night for him. I say, Fairlegh," continued he, drawing me
a little on one side, "has anything happened to annoy him?"

"Nothing particular, that I know of," replied I; "why do you ask?"

"I thought he looked especially cross; and he called our friend Lawless
an intolerable puppy, and wondered how any woman of common sense could
contrive to put up with him--that's all," rejoined Ellis.

"Fanny refused to play chess with him, because she thought it too late
in the evening;--that cannot have annoyed him?"

"Oh, no!" was the reply. "I see exactly what it is now: since the
granulating process has been going on so beautifully in the side, his
appetite has returned, and as he must not take any very active exercise
just yet, the liver is getting torpid. I must throw in a little blue
pill, and he'll be as good-tempered as an angel again; for, naturally,
there is not a man breathing with a finer disposition, or a more
excellent constitution, than Mr. Oaklands. Why, sir, the other day,
when I had been relating a professional anecdote to him, he called me a
'bloodthirsty butcher,' and I honoured him for it--no hypocrisy there,
sir."

~330~~ At this moment the carriage was announced, and we proceeded
to take our departure, Lawless handing Fanny in, and then standing
chattering at the window, till I was obliged to give him a hint that Sir
John would not like to have the horses kept standing in the cold.

"You've made a conquest, Miss Fan," said I, as we drove off: "I never
saw Lawless pay such attention to any woman before; even Di Clapperton
did not produce nearly so strong an effect, I can assure you."

"I am quite innocent of any intention to captivate," replied Fanny. "Mr.
Lawless amuses me, and I laugh sometimes at, and sometimes with, him."

"Still, my dear, you should be careful," interposed my mother; "though
it's play to you, it may be death to him, poor young man! I got into a
terrible scrape once in that way myself, when I was a girl; laughing and
joking with a young gentleman in our neighbourhood, till he made me an
offer one morning, and I really believe I should have been persuaded
into marrying him, though I did not care a bit about him, if I had not
been attached to your poor dear father at the time: now you have nothing
of that sort to save you; so, as I said before, my dear, mind what you
are about."

"I don't think Mr. Lawless's heart will be broken while there is a pack
of hounds within reach, mamma dear," replied Fanny, glancing archly at
me as she spoke.

As we were about to proceed to our several rooms for the night, I
contrived to delay my mother for a moment under pretext of lighting a
candle for her, and closing the door, I said:--

"My dear mother, if, by any odd chance, Fanny should be inclined to like
Lawless, don't you say anything against it. Lawless is a good fellow;
all his faults lie on the surface, and are none of them serious; he is
completely his own master, and might marry any girl he pleased tomorrow,
and I need not tell you would be a most excellent match for Fanny.
He seems very much taken with her; and no wonder, for she is really
excessively pretty; and when she is in spirits, as she was to-night, her
manner is most piquante and fascinating."

"Well, my dear boy," was the reply, "you know your friend best, and if
he and Fanny choose to take a fancy to each other, and you approve of
it, I shall not say anything against it."

Whereupon I kissed her, called her a dear, good old mother, and carried
up for her, in token of affection, her work-box, her reticule, her
candle and a basket, ~331~~ containing a large bunch of keys, sundry
halfpence and three pairs of my own stockings which wanted mending, a
process which invariably rendered them unwearable ever after.

CHAPTER XLII -- THE MEET AT EVERSLEY GORSE

"We'll make you some sport with the fox Ere we case him."
--_All's Well that Ends Well_.

"Oh! for a fall, if fall she must,
On the gentle lap of Flora;
But still, thank Heaven, she clings to her seat."
--_Hood_.

"She held his drooping head,
Till given to breathe the freer air,
Returning life repaid their care;
He gazed on them with heavy sigh--
I could have wished e'en thus to die."
--_Rokeby_.

IT had been arranged between my mother and Oaklands, in the earlier part
of the evening on which the events described in the last chapter
took place, that Fanny should have her first ride on the day but one
following, by which time it was supposed that the habit would be fit for
service, and the young lady's mind sufficiently familiarised with the
idea, to overcome a rather (as I considered) unnecessary degree of alarm
which I believe would have led her, had she been allowed to decide for
herself, to relinquish it altogether. The only stipulation my mother
insisted on was, that I should accompany my sister in the character of
chaperon, an arrangement to which, as it was quite evident that Lawless
intended to form one of the party, I made no objection. Accordingly,
on the day appointed, Oaklands made his appearance about ten o'clock,
mounted on his favourite horse, and attended by a groom, leading the
grey Arab which was destined to carry Fanny, as well as a saddle-horse
for me.

"Bravo, Harry! it does one good to see you and the 'Cid' together
again," exclaimed I, patting the arched neck of the noble animal; "how
well he is looking!"

"Is he not?" replied Oaklands warmly; "the good old horse knew me as
well as possible, and gave a neigh of pleasure when first I spoke to
him. Is Fanny nearly ready?"

"She will be here directly," replied I; and the words had ~332~~
scarcely escaped my lips when she made her appearance, looking so lovely
in her hat and habit, that I felt sure it would be all over with Lawless
as soon as he saw her.

"Why, Fanny," exclaimed Oaklands, dismounting slowly and with effort,
for he was still lamentably weak, "I have not seen you in a habit so
long, I declare I should scarcely have known you; the effect is quite
magical."

A smile and a blush were her only reply; and Oaklands continued, "Will
you not like to mount now? Lawless will join us; but he means' to
abandon us again when we get near Eversley Gorse, for the superior
attractions of a run with the subscription pack."

"Oh, I hope the hounds will not come in our way," exclaimed Fanny;
"if you think there is any chance of their frightening my horse, I had
better not ride to-day."

"I do not think you need feel the least alarm; though spirited, Rose
Alba is perfectly quiet; besides, we are not bound to ride towards
Eversley, unless you approve of doing so," replied Oaklands.

As he spoke, Lawless rode up just in time to catch the last few words.
He was dressed in an appropriate hunting costume, and sat his horse (a
splendid black hunter, whose fiery temper rendered all those in whom the
bump of caution was properly developed remarkably shy of him) as easily
as if he formed part of the animal. As he checked his impatient steed,
and taking off his hat, bowed to Fanny, his eyes sparkling, and his
whole countenance beaming with pleasure and excitement, he really looked
quite handsome. The same idea seemed to strike Fanny, who whispered
to me, "If ever your friend has his picture taken, it should be on
horseback".

"Good-morning, Miss Fairlegh!" cried Lawless, as flinging the rein to a
groom, he sprang from the saddle, and bounded towards us; "glad to see
you in what I consider the most becoming dress a lady can wear--very
becoming it is too," he added, with a slight bend of the head to mark
the compliment. "What did I hear you say about not riding to Eversley?
You never can be so cruel as to deny me the pleasure of your company,
and I must go there to join the meet. I would not have hunted to-day,
though, if I had known you wished to ride in another direction."

"It was only that Fanny was afraid the hounds might frighten her horse,"
replied I.

"Oh, not the least danger; I'll take care of all that," returned
Lawless; "the little white mare is as gentle as ~333~~ a lamb: I
cantered her across the park myself yesterday on purpose to try--the
sweetest thing for a lady I ever set eyes on. You have got some good
cattle in your stables, Harry, I must own that."

"Hadn't we better think of mounting? Time will not stand still for us,"
observed I.

"Let me assist you, Fanny," said Oaklands, advancing towards her.

"Thank you," replied Fanny, drawing back: "but I need not give you the
trouble; Frank will help me."

"Here, get out of the way!" cried Lawless, as I hesitated, fancying
from the shade on Oaklands' brow that he might not like to be interfered
with; "I see none of you know how to help a lady properly. Bring up that
mare," he continued, "closer--that's it; stand before her head. Now,
Miss Fairlegh, take a firm hold of the pummel; place your foot in my
hand--are you ready?--spring! there we are--famously done! Oh, you
know what you are about, I see. Let me give you the rein--between the
fingers; yes--the snaffle will manage her best; the curb may hang loose,
and only use it if it is necessary; let the groom stand by her till I am
mounted; the black horse is rather fidgety; soh! boy, soh! quiet!--stand
you brute!--there's a good boy; steady, steady--off we go!"

As Lawless pushed by me at the beginning of this speech, Oaklands
advanced towards him, and his pale cheek flushed with anger. Apparently,
however, changing his intention, he drew himself up haughtily, and,
turning on his heel, walked slowly to his horse, mounted, and reining
him back a few paces, sat motionless as an equestrian statue, gazing
on the party with a gloomy brow until we had started, when, suddenly
applying the spur, he joined us in a couple of bounds, and took his
station at Fanny's left hand. Lawless having appropriated the off side,
devoted himself to the double task of managing the Arab and doing the
agreeable to its fair rider, which latter design he endeavoured to
accomplish by chattering incessantly.

After proceeding a mile or two, Lawless sustaining the whole burden
of the conversation, while Oaklands never spoke a word, we came upon a
piece of level greensward.

"Here's a famous place for a canter, Miss Fairlegh," exclaimed Lawless;
"lean a little more towards me--that's right. Are you ready?--just
tickle her neck with the whip--not too hard--jerk the rein
slightly--gently, mare, gently!--there's a good horse, that's it!
Eh! don't ~334~~ you see she settles into her pace as quietly as a
rocking-horse--oh! she's a sweet thing for a feather-weight;" and
restraining the plunging of the fiery animal he rode, he leaned over,
and patted the Arab's arched neck, as they went off at an easy canter.

I was about to follow their example, but observing that Oaklands delayed
putting his horse in motion, it occurred to me that this being the first
ride he had taken since his illness, the exertion might possibly be too
much for his strength; I waited, therefore, till he joined me, when I
inquired whether he felt any ill effects from the unwonted exertion.

"No," was the reply. "I feel an odd kind of fluttering in my side, but
it is only weakness."

"Had you not better give it up for to-day, and let me ride back with you?
I dare say Lawless would not care about hunting for once, and would see
Fanny home."

"I will not go back!" he replied sternly; then checking himself, he
added in a milder tone, "I mean to say it is not necessary--really I do
not feel ill--besides, it was only a passing sensation, and is already
nearly gone."

He paused for a moment, and then continued, "How very dictatorial and
disagreeable Lawless has grown of late, and what absurd nonsense he
does talk when he is in the society of ladies! I wonder your sister can
tolerate it." "She not only tolerates it," returned I, slightly
piqued at the contemptuous tone in which he spoke of Lawless, "but
is excessively amused by it; why, she said last night he was quite
delightful."

"I gave her credit for better taste," was Oaklands' reply; and striking
his horse impatiently with the spur, he dashed forward, and in a few
moments we had rejoined the others.

"I hope illness has not soured Harry's temper, but he certainly appears
more prone to take offence than in former days," was my inward comment,
as I pondered over his last words. "I am afraid Fanny has annoyed him;
I must speak to her, and give her a hint to be more careful for the
future."

Half an hour's brisk riding brought us to the outskirts of a broad
common, a great portion of which was covered by the gorse or furze from
which it took its name. Around the sides of this were gathered from
sixty to eighty well-mounted men, either collected in groups, to discuss
the various topics of local interest which occupy the minds of country
gentlemen, or riding up and down in parties of two and three together,
impatient for the ~335~~ commencement of their morning's sport; while,
in a small clear space, nearly in the centre of the furze-brake, were
stationed the hounds, with the huntsman and whippers-in. "There!"
exclaimed Lawless, "look at that! Talk about operas and exhibitions!
where will you find an exhibition as well worth seeing as that is? I
call that a sight for an empress. Now are not you glad I made you come,
Miss Fairlegh?"

"The red coats look very gay and picturesque, certainly," replied Fanny;
"and what loves of horses, with their satin skins glistening in the
sunshine! But I wish Rose Alba would not prick up her ears in that way;
I'm rather frightened."

While Lawless was endeavouring to convince her there was no danger, and
that he was able and willing to frustrate any nefarious designs which
might enter into the graceful little head of the white Arab, a young man
rode up to Oaklands, and shaking him warmly by the hand, congratulated
him on being once more on horseback.

"Ah, Whitcombe, it's a long time since you and I have met," returned
Harry; "you have been abroad, I think?" "Yes," was the reply; "Charles
and I have been doing the grand tour, as they call it." "How is your
brother?"

"Oh, he's all right, only he has grown a great pair of moustaches, and
won't cut them off; he has taken up a notion they make him look killing,
I believe. He was here a minute ago--yes, there he is, talking to
Randolph. Come and speak to him, he'll be delighted to see you." "Keep
your eye on Fanny's mare," said Oaklands, as he rode past me, "she seems
fidgety, and that fellow Lawless is thinking more about the hounds than
he is of her, though he does boast so much of the care he can take of
her. I shall be with you again directly."

"Do you see the gentleman on the bright bay, Miss Fairlegh?" exclaimed
Lawless; "there, he's speaking to Tom Field, the huntsman, now; he has
got his watch in his hand; that's Mr. Rand, the master of the hounds;
you'll see some fun directly. Ah! I thought so."

As he spoke, at a signal from the huntsman, the hounds dashed into
cover, and were instantly lost to sight in a waving sea of gorse, save
when a head or neck became visible for a moment, as some dog more eager
than the rest sprang over a tangled brake, through which he was unable
to force his way.

"Oh, you beauties!" resumed Lawless ~336~~ enthusiastically, "only watch
them; they're drawing it in first-rato style, and there's rare lying
in that cover. Now see how the furze shakes--look at their sterns
nourishing; have at him there--have at him; that's right, Tom--cheer 'em
on, boy--good huntsman is Tom Field--there again!--a fox, I'll bet
five hundred pounds to a pony--hark!--a whimper--now wait--a challenge!
another and another--listen to them--there's music--watch the right-hand
corner--that's where he'll break cover for a thousand, and if he does,
what a run we shall have! Look at those fools," he added, pointing to
a couple of cockney-looking fellows who were cantering towards the very
place he had pointed to, "they'll head him back as sure as fate; hold
hard there--why does not somebody stop them? By Jove, I'll give them a
taste of the double thong when I get up with them, even if it's the Lord
Mayor of London and his brother. Look to your sister, Frank, I'll be
back directly."

"Wait one minute," shouted I, but in vain; for before the words were
well out of my mouth, he had driven the spurs into his eager horse, and
was galloping furiously in the direction of the unhappy delinquents who
had excited his indignation. My reason for asking him to wait a minute
was, that just as the hounds began drawing the cover, I had made the
agreeable discovery that the strap to which one of my saddle-girths was
buckled had given way, and that there was nothing for it but to dismount
and repair the evil; and I had scarcely concluded the best temporary
arrangement I was able to effect, when Lawless started in pursuit of
the cockneys. Almost at the same moment a countryman, stationed at the
outside of the gorse, shouted "Tally-ho!" and the fox broke cover in
gallant style, going away at a rattling pace, with four or five couple
of hounds on his traces. In an instant all was confusion, cigars were
thrown away, hats pressed firmly down upon the brow, and, with a rush
like the outburst of some mighty torrent, the whole field to a man swept
rapidly onward.

In the meanwhile Fanny's mare, which had for some minutes shown symptoms
of excitement, pawing the ground with her fore-foot, pricking up her
ears, and tossing her head impatiently, began, as Lawless rode off, to
plunge in a manner which threatened at every moment to unseat her rider,
and as several horsemen dashed by her, becoming utterly unmanageable,
she set off at a wild gallop, drowning in the clatter of her hoofs
Fanny's agonised cry for help. Driven nearly frantic by the ~337~~ peril
in which my sister was placed, I was even yet prevented for a minute or
more from hastening to her assistance, as my own horse, frightened by
the occurrences I have described, struggled so violently to follow his
companions as to render it very difficult for me to hold, and quite
impossible to remount, him, so that when at length I succeeded in
springing on his back, the hounds were already out of sight, and Fanny
and her runaway steed so far ahead of me, that it seemed inevitable
some accident must occur before I could overtake them, and it was with
a sinking heart that I gave my horse the rein, and dashed forward in
pursuit.

The course which Lawless had taken when he started on his wildgoose
chase was down a ride cut through the furze, and it was along this turfy
track that Rose Alba was now hurrying in her wild career. The horse on
which I was mounted was a young thorough-bred, standing nearly sixteen
hands high, and I felt certain that in the pursuit in which I was
engaged, the length of his stride would tell, and that eventually we
must come up with the fugitives; but so fleet was the little Arab, and
so light the weight she had to carry, that I was sorry to perceive I
gained upon them but slowly. It was clear that I should not overtake
them before they reached the outskirts of the common, and then who could
say what course the mare might take--what obstacles might not be in her
way!

On--on we go in our headlong course, the turf reechoing to the muffled
strokes of the horses' feet, while the furze, waving in the wind, seemed
to glide by us in a rapid stream. Onward--still onward; the edge of the
gorse appears a dark line in the distance--it is passed; we are crossing
the belt of turf that surrounds it--and now, in what direction will
the mare proceed? Will she take the broad road to the left, which leads
again to the open country by a gentle ascent, where she can be easily
overtaken and stopped; or will she turn to the right, and follow the
lane, which leads across the terrace-field to the brook, swollen by the
late rains into a river? See! she slackens her pace--she wavers, she
doubts--she will choose the road! No; by Heaven! she turns to the right,
and dashing down the lane like a flash of lightning, is for a moment
hidden from view. But the space of time, short as it was, when her speed
slackened, has enabled me to gain upon her considerably; and when
I again catch sight of her she is not more than fifty yards ahead.
Forward! good horse--forward! Life or death hangs upon thy ~338~~
fleetness. Vain hope! another turn brings us in sight of the brook,
swollen by the breaking up of the frost into a dark, turbulent stream.
Fanny perceives it too, and utters a cry of terror, which rings like a
death-knell on my ear. There seems no possibility of escape for her; on
the left hand an impenetrable hedge; on the right a steep bank, rising
almost perpendicularly to the height of a man's head; in front the
rushing water; while the mare, apparently irritated to frenzy by my
pursuit, gallops wildly forward. Ha! what is that? a shout! and the
figure of a man on horseback appears on the high ground to the right,
between Fanny and the stream. He perceives the danger, and if he dare
attempt the leap from the bank, may yet save her. Oh! that I were in his
place. Hark! he shouts again to warn us of his intention, and putting
spurs to his horse, faces him boldly at it. The horse perceives the
danger, and will refuse the leap. No! urged by his rider, he will take
it yet--now he springs--it is certain destruction. A crash! a fall! they
are down! No; he has lifted his horse with the rein--they are apparently
uninjured. Rose Alba, startled by the sudden apparition, slackens her
pace--the stranger, taking advantage of the delay, dashes forward,
seizes the rein, and succeeds in stopping her; as he does so, I
approached near enough to recognise his features--