United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Fiction; War stories
"I shall speak with my friends as to these Plymouth affairs, and do my
best for you," Lord Newburgh kindly assured Miss Hamilton, as they
parted. "You shall see me in Bristol to-morrow. Ah, this letter!" and
he spoke in a low voice. "It has touched my heart to think that you
know so well our sad inheritance. My poor father and poor Darwentwater!
Every one here knows their melancholy fate, their ’sad honors of the axe
and block;’ but there were things covered in those days that are secrets
still in England. _He speaks of the Newgate supper to me! ... ’Twas he
himself who saved ... and only a lad_" ... But Mary could not hear the
rest.
"I must see you again," he continued, aloud. "I shall have a thousand
questions to put to you, and many messages for your old Master Sullivan
(God bless him!) when you return. I offer you my friendship for his
sake," and Lord Newburgh stood with bared head beside the horse when
Miss Hamilton had mounted. "We have pleasant Dilston Hall to our home
no more these many years; we Radcliffes are all done, but at Slindon you
shall be very welcome. I shall wait upon Madam Wallingford to-morrow,
and bring her what good comfort I can."
The alderman was warmed by Mr. Fairfax’s hospitalities, and rode beside
his young guest as proudly as if he were the lord mayor on high holiday.
The streets of Bath were crowded with idle gentlefolk; it was a lovely
day, and many people of fashion were taking the air as well as the
famous waters. This was a fine sight for a New England girl, and Mary
herself was beheld with an admiration that was by no means silent.
Their horses’ feet clacked sharply on the cobblestones, as if eager to
shorten the homeward road, and the young rider sat as light as her heart
was, now the errand was done. It was a pretty thing, her
unconsciousness of all admiration: she might have been flitting along a
shady road under the pines at home, startling the brown rabbits, and
keeping a steady hand on the black Duke’s rein to be ready for sudden
freaks. She did not see that all along by the pump room they were
watching her as she passed. She was taking good news to Bristol; Lord
Newburgh had given his word of honor that Roger Wallingford should be
pardoned and set free. Was not his mother a great lady, and heartily
loyal to the Crown? Was there not talk of his having been suspected of
the same principles on board the American privateer? It must be
confessed that Lord Newburgh’s face had taken on a look of amused
assurance when these facts were somewhat unwillingly disclosed; they
were the last points in the lieutenant’s history which Mary herself
woidd have willingly consented to use, even as a means of deliverance
from captivity, but, unknown to her, they had won an easy promise of
freedom.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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