Chapter 37
But he was quite alone as far as he could see, and he ran lightly back to the railings, wild with excitement now, and stood gazing across the little garden at that back window which was heavily curtained; but right up in the left-hand corner there was a faint glow, which he soon proved to himself could not be a reflection on the gla.s.s from outside.
Then he was right; and, panting now as if he had been running heavily, he went round into the street, reached the front of the house, where, as he had expected, he could see low down the faintly illumined blind of the housekeeper's room, and then rang gently.
He waited, and there was no response; and he rang again, but the time pa.s.sed again; minutes--more probably moments--elapsed before he heard a window opened softly overhead.
"What is it?" said a woman's voice.
"Come down and open the door, Berry," said the boy quickly.
"You, Master Frank?"
"Yes; make haste."
"Is--is any one with you?" said the woman in a whisper, "because I don't like opening the door after dark."
"No, I'm quite alone. Make haste."
The woman did not stop to close the window, and the next minute Frank heard the bolts drawn softly back, the key turned, and as the door was being opened he stepped forward, but only to stop short on the step, for the housekeeper had not removed the chain.
"What is it, my dear?" she said.
She had not brought a light, and Frank could dimly see her face at the narrow opening.
"What is it?" cried Frank impatiently. "Take down the chain, and let me in. Don't keep me standing here."
"But her ladys.h.i.+p gave me strict orders, my dear, that I wasn't to admit any one after dark, for there are so many wicked people about."
"Did my father tell you not to admit me?" whispered Frank, with his face close to the narrow slit.
"What! before he went abroad, my dear?" faltered the woman.
"No, no--yesterday, to-day--whenever he came back."
"Sir Robert, my dear?" whispered the woman, with her voice trembling.
"Don't be so stupid. I must--I will see him. I saw his face at the window this afternoon."
"Oh, my dear, my dear!" stammered the woman.
"There, take down the chain, Berry."
"I--I don't think I ought, my dear. Stop a minute, and I'll go and ask him."
"No, no. Let me go
The woman uttered a gasp, closed the door, and softly unhooked the chain, after which she opened the door just sufficiently for the boy to pa.s.s in, and closed and fastened it again.
The hall was dark as could be, save for a faint gleam from the fanlight; but Frank could have gone blindfold, and das.h.i.+ng over the marble floor to the foot of the staircase, he bounded up two steps at a time, reached the door of the back room, beneath which shone a line of light, and turned the handle sharply. As he did so, there was a dull sound within, and the light was extinguished.
"Open the door, father," whispered the boy, with his lips to the keyhole. "It is I--Frank."
There was the dull tremor of a heavy step crossing the floor, the door was unlocked, and the boy sprang forward in the darkness, the door was closed and relocked, and he was clasped in a pair of strong arms.
"Oh, dad, dad, dad!" cried the lad, in a panting whisper.
"My own boy! Then you saw me this afternoon?"
"Yes, just a faint glimpse of you. Oh, father, father, it wasn't safe for you to come back!"
"No, not very, my boy; but I couldn't stop away any longer. How is the dear one?"
"Quite well--only she looks thin and pale, father. She's fretting so because you are away."
"Hah!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Sir Robert, in a long-drawn sigh. "I felt that she must be, and that helped to draw me back. Heaven bless her!--Frank lad, as you have found me out--But stop, did you tell her you had seen me?"
"I haven't seen her since, father; and if I had, I shouldn't have dared.
What would she think?"
"Bullets and bayonets, or worse, my boy. Quite right; spoken like the brave, thoughtful lad you are growing. But it's very hard, Frank.
Don't you think you could manage to bring her over here--say this time to-morrow evening?"
"Yes, father, easily," said Frank.
"My boy. Oh, if you knew how I long to see her again!"
"Yes, father," said Frank bitterly, "I could bring her, but for what?-- to see you arrested for coming back. It would be madness. There are spies everywhere. I had to be so careful to get round here without being followed."
Sir Robert groaned as he stood there in the darkness, holding his son by his arms in a firm grip.
"I can't help it, father. I must tell you the truth," cried the boy pa.s.sionately.
"Yes, you are quite right, boy, and I'm weak and foolish to have proposed such a thing. But it's hard, my lad--very, very hard."
"Don't I know, father?"
"Yes, yes, boy. But tell me, does she talk about me to you much?"
"She talks of nothing else, father. But listen; I'm going to pet.i.tion the King myself. I'm going to kneel to him, and beg him to give you leave to return."
"You are, my boy?"
"Yes, father," cried Frank excitedly, "directly I get a chance."
"No, Frank, don't do that," said Sir Robert, rather sternly.
"You don't wish me to, father?" Sir Robert drew a deep breath, and then hoa.r.s.ely: "No. I desire that you do not. Your mother has through the Princess prayed and prayed in vain. No, Frank, you shall not do that."
"Very well, father," said the boy drearily. "Hist! Some one!"
whispered Sir Robert; and Frank turned sharply to see light gleaming beneath the door, and his father stepped away from him, and something on the table grated softly as it was taken up. Then a soft voice said: