The Midnight Queen [88]
I should, my lord, only Sir Norman, unfortunately, does
not know himself."
The earl's countenance looked so utterly blank at this
announcement, that Ormiston was forced to throw in a word of
explanation.
"I mean to say, my lord, that he has fallen in love with her;
and, judging from appearances, I should say his flame is not
altogether hopeless, although they have met to-night for the
first time."
"A rapid passion. Where have you left her, Ormiston?"
"In her own house, my lord," Ormiston replied, smiling quietly to
himself.
"Where is that?"
"About a dozen yards from where I stood when you called me."
"Who are her family?" continued the earl, who seemed possessed of
a devouring curiosity.
"She has none that I know of. I imagine Mistress Leoline is an
orphan. I know there was not a living soul but ourselves in the
house I brought her to."
"And you left her there alone?" exclaimed the earl, half starting
up, an if about to order the boatman to row back to the landing.
Ormiston looked at his excited face with a glance full of quiet
malice.
"No, my lord, not quits; Sir Norman Kingsley was with her!"
"Oh!" said the earl, smiling back with a look of chagrin. "Then
he will probably find out her name before he comes away. I
wonder you could give her up so easily to him, after all your
trouble!"
"Smitten, my lord?" inquired Ormiston, maliciously.
"Hopelessly!" replied the earl, with a deep sigh. "She was a
perfect little beauty; and if I can find her, I warn Sir Norman
Kingsley to take care! I have already sent Hubert out in search
of her; and, by the way," said the earl, with a sudden increase
of animation, "what a wonderful resemblance she bears to Hubert -
I could almost swear they were one and the same!"
"The likeness is marvelous; but I should hate to take such an
oath. I confess I am somewhat curious myself; but I stand no
chance of having it gratified before to-morrow, I suppose."
"How those fires blaze! It is much brighter than at noon-day.
Show me the house in which Leoline lies?".
Ormiston easily pointed it out, and showed the earl the light
still burning in her window.
"It was in that room we found her first, dead of the plague!"
"Dead of the what?" cried the earl, aghast.
"Dead of the plague! I'll tell your lordship how it was," said
Ormiston, who forthwith commend and related the story of their
finding Leoline; of the resuscitation at the plague-pit; of the
flight from Sir Norman's house, and of the delirious plunge into
the river, and miraculous cure.
"A marvelous story," commented the earl, much interested. "And
Leoline seems to have as many lives as a cat! Who can she be - a
princess in disguise - eh, Ormiston?"
"She looks fit to be a princess, or anything else; but your
lordship knows as much about her, now, as I do."
"You say she was dressed as a bride - how came that?"
"Simply enough. She was to be married to-night, had she not
taken the plague instead."
"Married? Why, I thought you told me a few minutes ago she was
in love with Kingsley. It seems to me, Mr. Ormiston, your
remarks are a trifle inconsistent," said the earl, in a tone of
astonished displeasure.
"Nevertheless, they are all perfectly true. Mistress Leoline was
to be married, as I told you; but she was to marry to please her
friends, and not herself. She had been in the habit of watching
Kingsley go past her window; and the way she blushed, and went
through the other little motions, convinces me that his course of
true love will ran as smooth as this glassy river runs at
present."
"Kingsley is a lucky fellow. Will the discarded suitor have no
voice in the matter; or is he such a simpleton as to give her up
at a word?"
Ormiston laughed.
"Ah! to be sure; what will the count say? And, judging from some
things
not know himself."
The earl's countenance looked so utterly blank at this
announcement, that Ormiston was forced to throw in a word of
explanation.
"I mean to say, my lord, that he has fallen in love with her;
and, judging from appearances, I should say his flame is not
altogether hopeless, although they have met to-night for the
first time."
"A rapid passion. Where have you left her, Ormiston?"
"In her own house, my lord," Ormiston replied, smiling quietly to
himself.
"Where is that?"
"About a dozen yards from where I stood when you called me."
"Who are her family?" continued the earl, who seemed possessed of
a devouring curiosity.
"She has none that I know of. I imagine Mistress Leoline is an
orphan. I know there was not a living soul but ourselves in the
house I brought her to."
"And you left her there alone?" exclaimed the earl, half starting
up, an if about to order the boatman to row back to the landing.
Ormiston looked at his excited face with a glance full of quiet
malice.
"No, my lord, not quits; Sir Norman Kingsley was with her!"
"Oh!" said the earl, smiling back with a look of chagrin. "Then
he will probably find out her name before he comes away. I
wonder you could give her up so easily to him, after all your
trouble!"
"Smitten, my lord?" inquired Ormiston, maliciously.
"Hopelessly!" replied the earl, with a deep sigh. "She was a
perfect little beauty; and if I can find her, I warn Sir Norman
Kingsley to take care! I have already sent Hubert out in search
of her; and, by the way," said the earl, with a sudden increase
of animation, "what a wonderful resemblance she bears to Hubert -
I could almost swear they were one and the same!"
"The likeness is marvelous; but I should hate to take such an
oath. I confess I am somewhat curious myself; but I stand no
chance of having it gratified before to-morrow, I suppose."
"How those fires blaze! It is much brighter than at noon-day.
Show me the house in which Leoline lies?".
Ormiston easily pointed it out, and showed the earl the light
still burning in her window.
"It was in that room we found her first, dead of the plague!"
"Dead of the what?" cried the earl, aghast.
"Dead of the plague! I'll tell your lordship how it was," said
Ormiston, who forthwith commend and related the story of their
finding Leoline; of the resuscitation at the plague-pit; of the
flight from Sir Norman's house, and of the delirious plunge into
the river, and miraculous cure.
"A marvelous story," commented the earl, much interested. "And
Leoline seems to have as many lives as a cat! Who can she be - a
princess in disguise - eh, Ormiston?"
"She looks fit to be a princess, or anything else; but your
lordship knows as much about her, now, as I do."
"You say she was dressed as a bride - how came that?"
"Simply enough. She was to be married to-night, had she not
taken the plague instead."
"Married? Why, I thought you told me a few minutes ago she was
in love with Kingsley. It seems to me, Mr. Ormiston, your
remarks are a trifle inconsistent," said the earl, in a tone of
astonished displeasure.
"Nevertheless, they are all perfectly true. Mistress Leoline was
to be married, as I told you; but she was to marry to please her
friends, and not herself. She had been in the habit of watching
Kingsley go past her window; and the way she blushed, and went
through the other little motions, convinces me that his course of
true love will ran as smooth as this glassy river runs at
present."
"Kingsley is a lucky fellow. Will the discarded suitor have no
voice in the matter; or is he such a simpleton as to give her up
at a word?"
Ormiston laughed.
"Ah! to be sure; what will the count say? And, judging from some
things