The spring had hung the hazels with tassels, bedecked the willows with golden downy tufts, and opened the primroses and celandines beneath them, when the solitary dale was disturbed by the hasty clatter of horses feet, and hard, heavy breathing as of those who had galloped headlong beyond their strength. Here, however, the foremost of the party, an old esquire, who grasped the bridle-rein of youth by his side, drew up his own horse, and that which he was dragging on with him, saying
We may breathe here a moment; there is shelter in the wood. And you, Rab, get ye up to the top of Jills Knowe, and keep a good look-out.
Let me go back, you false villain! sobbed the boy, with the first use of his recovered breath.
Do not be so daft, Lord Malcolm, replied the Squire, retaining his hold on the boys bridle; what, rin your head into the wolfs mouth again, when weve barely brought you off haill and sain?
Haill and sain? Dastard and forlorn, cried Malcolm, with passionate weeping. II to flee and leave my sistermy uncle! Oh, where are they? Halbert, let me go; Ill never pardon thee.
Hoot, my lord! would I let you gang, when the Tutor spak to me as plain as I hear you now? Take off Lord Malcolm, says he; save him, and you save the rest. See him safe to the Earl of Mar. Those were his words, my lord; and if you wilna heed them, I will.
What, and leave my sister to the reivers? Oh, what may not they be doing to her? Let us go back and fall on them, Halbert; better die saving her than know her in Walter Stewarts hands. Then were I the wretched craven he calls me.
Look you, Lord Malcolm, said Halbert, laying his finger on his nose, with a knowing expression, my young lady is safe from harm so long as you are out of the Master of Albanys reach. Had you come by a canny thrust in the fray, as no doubt was his purpose, or were you in his hands to be mewed in a convent, then were your sister worth the wedding; but the Master will never wed her while you live and have friends to back you, and his father, the Regent, will see she has no ill-usage. Youll do best for yourself and her too, as well as Sir David, if you make for Dunbar, and call ben your uncles of Athole and Strathern.How now, Rab? are the loons making this way?
Na, na! said Rab, descending; tis from the other gate; tis a knight in blue damasked steel: he, methinks, that harboured in our castle some weeks syne.
Hm! said Halbert, considering; he looked like a trusty cheild: maybe hed guide my lord here to a wiser wit, and a good lance on the way to Dunbar is not to be scorned.
In fact, there would have been no time for one party to conceal themselves from the other; for, hidden by the copsewood, and unheeded by the watchers who were gazing in the opposite direction, Sir James Stewart and his two attendants suddenly came round the foot of Jills Knowe upon the fugitives, who were profiting by the interval to loosen the girths of their horses, and water them at the pool under the thicket, whilst Halbert in vain tried to pacify and reason with the young master, who had thrown himself on the grass in an agony of grief and despair. Sir James, after the first momentary start, recognized the party in an instant, and at once leapt from his horse, exclaiming
How now, my bonnie manmy kind hostwhat is it? what makes this grief?
Do not speak to me, Sir, muttered the unhappy boy. They have been reftreft from me, and I have done nothing for them. Walter of Albany has them, and I am here.
And he gave way to another paroxysm of grief, while Halbert explained to Sir James Stewart that when Sir Patrick Drummond had gone to embark for France, with the army led to the aid of Charles VI. by the Earl of Buchan, his father and cousins, with a large escort, had accompanied him to Eyemouth; whence, after taking leave of him, they had set out to spend Passion-tide and Easter at Coldingham Abbey, after the frequent fashion of the devoutly inclined among the Scottish nobility, in whose castles there was often little commodity for religious observances. Short, however, as was the distance, they had in the midst of it been suddenly assailed by a band of armed men, among whom might easily be recognized the giant form of young Walter Stewart, the Master of Albany, the Regent Duke Murdochs eldest son, who was well known for his lawless excesses and violence. His fathers silky sayings, and his own ruder speeches, had long made it known to the House of Glenuskie that the family policy was to cajole or to drive the sickly heir into a convent, and, rendering Lilias the possessor of the broad lands inherited from both parents, unite her and them to the Albany family.
The almost barbarous fierceness and wild licentiousness of Walter would have made the arrangement abhorrent to Lilias, even had not love passages already passed between her and her cousin, Patrick Drummond, and Sir David had hitherto protected her by keeping Malcolm in the secular life; but Walter, it seemed, had grown impatient, and had made this treacherous attack, evidently hoping to rid himself of the brother, and secure the sister. No sooner had the Tutor of Glenuskie perceived that his own party were overmatched, than he had bidden his faithful squire to secure the bairnsif not both, at least the boy; and Halbert, perceiving that Lilias had already been pounced upon by Sir Walter himself and several more, seized the bridle of the bewildered Malcolm, who was still trying to draw his sword, and had absolutely swept him away from the scene of action before he had well realized what was passing; and now that the poor lad understood the whole, his horror, grief, and shame were unspeakable.
Before Sir James had done more than hear the outline of Halberts tale, however, the watchers on the mound gave the signal that the reivers were coming that waya matter hitherto doubtful, since no one could guess whether Walter Stewart would make for Edinburgh or for Doune. With the utmost agility Sir James sprang up the side of the mound, reconnoitred, and returned again just as Halbert was trying to stir his master from the ground, and Malcolm answering sullenly that he would not movehe would be taken and die with the rest.
You may save them instead, if you will attend to me, said Sir James; and at his words the boy suddenly started up with a look of hope.
How many fell upon you? demanded Sir James.
Full a hundred lances, replied Halbert (and a lance meant at least three men). It wad be a fules wark to withstand them. Best bide fast in the covert, for our horses are sair forfaughten.
If there are now more than twenty lances, I am greatly mistaken, returned Sir James. They must have broken up after striking their blow, or have sent to secure Glenuskie; and we, falling on them from this thicket
I see, I see, cried Halbert. Back, ye loons; back among the hazels. Hold every one his horse ready to mount.
With your favour, Sir Squire, I say, bind each man his horse to a tree. The skene and broadsword, which I see you all wear, will be ten times as effective on foot.
Do as the knight bids, said Malcolm, starting forth with colour on his cheek, light in his eye, that made him another being. In him there is help.
Ay, ay, Lord Malcolm, muttered Halbert; you need not tell me that: I know my duty better than not to do the bidding of a belted knight, and pretty man too of his inches.
The two attendants of Sir James were meantime apparently uttering some remonstrance, to which he lightly replied, Tut, Nigel; it will do thine heart good to hew down a minion of Albany. What were I worth could I not strike a blow against so foul a wrong to my own orphan kindred? Brewster, Ill answer it to thy master. These are his foes, as well as those of all honest men. Ha! thou art as glad to be at them as I myself.