SHORT STORY
ROMANCE
Lady Revlington sat trembling in Her her corner of the jolting coach. eyes stared ahead of her and she was in her conscious with every nerve body of Sir Charles' presence, of his large coarse hands grasping his jewel- led headed stick, and of his dark eyes, of heavily ringed with purple, lines dissipation, which seemed to compel her to glance every now and then to- wards him, whether she would or not. Echoing still in her ears were the cries of farewell of her family and the cheers of the tenants as they had driven away down the long ill-kept drive of the home she had known and loved for nearly eighteen years. It was with the greatest difficulty that she had prevented herself from crying out and refusing to go away with her bridegroom when the moment for their departure had arrived, and yet even the momentary panic which had seiz- ed her as she had come rustling down was the stairs in her new silk dress not so agonising as the slow misery which was creeping over her now as the full realisation of what she had done penetrated her mind.
Yet what choice had she? There was her father, ill, practically bankrupt, and still 'gambling; her mother, fight- ing to keep up appearances and to save the estate from the 'bailiffs; and her brother away overseas with his re- gimen There was no one to whom she coulda turn, no one who could save her from what seemed to the outside brilliantly successful mar- world a riage,
Half the women at St. James' would have been only too delighted to be in her shoes--that she knew. Sir Charles was rich, he was powerful, he was a friend of the king, and what was more Yet she he was in love with her.
the knew that she hated him, hated husband to whom she had pledged her vows but an hour before.
The bridegroom took out his snuff- box, sniffed, flicked a few grains of snuff from his satin sleeve with a lace and then put out his handkerchief,
A small hand towards his bride. growl arrested him, and two rows of sharp teeth and a pair of bright eyes appeared from among the ribbons, laces, and flowers of my lady's corsage.
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By Barbara Cartland
"By my faith," said Sir Charles, "I did not know that yapping mongrel had accompanied us."!
"He is a very dear companion, my lord," faltered his bride in trembling
tones.
silk dress, but now she raised it, hold- ing it against her laces, tears blinding her eyes so that she put out her hand tremblingly for support and found it "You are in distress, Madame?" said clasped in a strong, warm grasp.、
a kind voice,
Confidentially, instinctively, she held out the tiny corpse.
She put her hands round the tiny animal and drew it back under the The nervous folds of her mantle. flush which stained her pale cheeks
"Is he quite dead?" she asked. was exceedingly becoming, and when
The highwayman felt the small body she raised her blue eyes again to her
Almost in spite of herself she shrank he looked at the bruised and battered husband he bent forward towards her. with knowledgeable hands and then
"Who has dared?" he said angrily, from him violently and then his hand head. came out to hold her. There was a startled movement, a sharp growling and then stopped. "I am afraid you snarl, and the dog's teeth met in the have lost a friend," he said very gent-
flesh of Sir
and turned sharply to where Sir Charles stood fuming and oathing, plump well-nourished Charles hand.
and He ejaculated an oath, then guarded by the masked accomplice.
"Tie him up," the highwayman almost before his wife was conscious
a sharp, quick, protests were in vain as he was bound of what was happening he had seized commanded sternly, and Sir Charles the dog and with movement, had brought the heavy ignominiously beside his own servants. When he was completely helpless jewelled stick down on its head.
The dog gave one whimper and lay the highwayman slipped the pistols still. With a smothered shriek Lady into the holster at his waist.
out anguished Revlington stretched hands, but it was too late.
"How dare you! my lord," she cried, "How dare you," and then horror and a sense of helplessness overcame her and tears gathered in her eyes and trickled slowly down her cheeks.
"Gad! But must a man be bitten by a cur on his wedding day?" Sir Char- les answered, wiping the drops of blood from his hand with his handker- chief. "He was all I had," the bride whispered, her lips trembling, but she said it so low that Sir Charles did not hear.
"And a bride, madame," he continu- ed, "needs no other dear companion than her husband. Come now."
"Would you like to bury your friend?" he asked, and Lady Revling- ton raised grateful eyes.
"I should be happier, Sir," she an- swered, "were it possible."
1.
a:
With a carriage tool they made small deep hole and regardless of time and the raging of Sir Charles the bride- wrapped her "dear companion" in dainty shift from her own box of wed- ding finery. Taking her bridal bou- quet from the coach she scattered it as a fragrant lining for the tiny grave,. and then the highwayman covered it. with the soft soil and, taking a smooth. stone, wrote the date and set it at the head.
Dusk was falling when they had finished, and then with her eyes still wet with tears the bride rose from her knees.
Her shoulders were so rigid against the cushions of the coach that it seem- ed as one or the other must give. She
"Thank you from the bottom of my held her breath tightly, and even the trembling of her mouth was stilled as heart," she said, arid even as she spoke: she watched him bend nearer and she glanced apprehensively over her nearer towards her. Two terrified shoulder. She knew only too well how hands fluttered supplicatingly, as a little pity, how little mercy she her-- plece of Dresden china might attempt self might expect in the future, and
her married life loomed ahead like a. to stem a flood, and then-
of horror from "Stand and deliver," cried a voice, nightmare, a thing
which she could never escape. and the coach pulled up with a jerk.
She put out her hand instinctively · Through the window appeared two heavy pistols held by shapely hands, to thank the highwayman and he felt. the wrists veiled invaluable lace pro- her fingers tremble in his and knew truding from a richly embroidered she was afraid.
we
I see a monstrous:
"May we dine together before coat. There was a smiling mouth be- neath a black mask and a glimpse of part?" he said. fair hair under a black cocked hat. basket of food strapped on your coach,. Sir Charles sat staring at the pis- and I am very hungry. Oh," he con-- tols, his jaw drooping, his fingers tinued as she hesitated, "You have but twitching against his formidable stick, to speak and your husband shall be. but the bride, after the first quick restored to his proper place." breath, felt curiously unafraid, even relieved.
He did not miss the terror in her eyes or the shudder which shook her, yet she smiled up at him bravely.
"By the Gods! a honeymoon cou-
"It would be inhospitable after your ple," said the highway man gaily, see- ing the crumpled rose petals on the kindness,. Sir, to leave you hungry."
At the highwayman's command the floor of the coach and the white flow-
other masked man, who wore the res-- ers pinned against the bride's breast.
"You shall pay for this outrage," pectable garments of a servant, carried stormed Sir Charles. "What the hell down the heavy basket and set it in a the are my servants doing? Hi, varlets, leafy grove some distance from help."
blaspheming of the imprisoned Sir
The highwayman laughed and mov- Charles, and the surprised surveillance- ed a little from the aperture of the of the servants. He laid out a gallant window. Past his shoulder Sir Char- spread beneath a great oak tree and les could see his coachmen. being tied Lady Revlington sank gratefully onto. to adjacent tree trunks by another the carriage cushions which he also brought and laid on the mossy ground. masked man.
"I must beg of you, Sir and Ma- The highwayman divided a bottle of dame," said the highwayman with a wine and a pie also for his man's sup- sweeping bow, to step into the road- per and motioned him aside to share way and allow my man to search un- his portion with the coachmen.
Sir. Charles had grown hoarse with der the seat for your valuables.
"Damnation!" cursed Sir Charles, shouting and swearing, including, áll who had himself concealed various in his anger, even his wife. Now, he costly wedding presents in that place was out of their sight and they could hardly hear him, and with a shy-ges- of considered safety.
"Sir, your wife is present," rebuked ture, as the highwayman stood as if the highwayman, opening the door, awaiting her commands, Lady Rev- Pushing past his wife, swearing and lington invited him to sit beside her.
his hands oathing,
ignominiously He sat down, and for a brief moment above his head, Sir Charles desconded. they both stared at each other, and Even his own servants smiled a little then with a quick movement he re- at his discomfiture. He was a hard moved his mask and she found herself master, and a bully being bullied ap- looking into a young and very hand- some face, olean shaven, with a kind peals all the world over,
Lady Revlington paused to pick up but firm mouth and dark grey eyes the small body of her dog from the that seemed to hold a glint of laughter floor of the coach; It had been hidden in their depths. hitherto beneath the stiff folds of her
(Continued on Page: 17).
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