“Hold! my lord,” interposed Father Norham, in a tone of authority which the earl could not resist. “There must be no misunderstanding between you and the countess. By my counsel she has made this confession to you, because the secret has long weighed upon her heart, and because you may never meet again in this world. Listen to me, my lord. The love conceived by the countess for the prince was simply an ardent feeling of loyalty, carried, perchance, to excess; but in no way culpable. If the prince's image was placed above your own in her breast, you need feel no jealousy. Nor can the prince be blamed, for word of love never passed his lips--nor was he aware of the passion he inspired.” “Is this so?” cried the earl. “It is so,” she replied. “I ought to have told you all this long ago--but hesitated from a silly fear, till my heart had become so burdened that I dared not speak. But now I felt that the confession must not be delayed, or it might never be made. Can you forgive me?” “Come to my heart!” he cried, straining her to his breast. IX.--THE FORD. |Midnight had come. Very dark was the night, and favourable to the purpose of those who sought to fly from the beleaguered town. The fires in the burning houses were nearly extinguished, but the course of the conflagration could still be traced by a red glow along the street. The two large houses, now in the hands of the king's forces, were no longer illuminated, but looked sombre and threatening--the approaches to them in front and at the rear being strongly guarded. The church-tower could be indistinctly seen in the gloom, and a close survey of the churchyard would have shown that it was filled with troops who were resting on their arms, to be ready for action at break of day. The barrier in this quarter was strongly guarded by the Highlanders, many of whom were lying on their plaids beside the trenches while their comrades kept watch. Throughout the town it was the same thing. At the Windmill battery, where Wynn's and Pitt's regiments were posted, so as completely to block up the Lancaster-road, and prevent all chance of escape in that direction, the brave Clan Chattan were gathered--most of them lying on the ground, but ready to spring to their feet on the slightest alarm. The barrier commanded by Lord Charles Murray was likewise strongly guarded, and by a vigilant force--this being a position exposed to much peril. As to the Fishergate barricade, it was better watched by the defenders than by the enemy. Strange to say, the outlet connected with this battery, and which led to a lane communicating with a ford over the Ribble, was not blocked up like the other avenues. Three squadrons of horse belonging to Brigadier Pitt were posted at intervals in the fields on the north side of the river--Pitt's own quarters being fixed at a large farmhouse on the rise of the hill--but the lane we have mentioned had been left unguarded.