RALPH TO THE RESCUE.
As William de Breauté was being marched to his fate, Ralph hurried up the winding turret stair, half choked by the blinding smoke which poured from the burning wood-work, and much impeded in his impetuous course by the chain of soldiers engaged in passing up water to extinguish the conflagration.
Even in the heat and din of the final assault his keen lover's eye had found time to look for and to note the signal promised by Aliva. High up from one of the windows hung her scarf. But when Ralph and his men had toiled thither they found the room empty.
Ralph experienced a painful tightening of the heart. Whither had the bird flown?
But it was the smoke which had driven the ladies from their apartment, and Ralph, exploring higher still, up a rude stone stair, found them collected on the flat wooden roof covering the inner space between the lofty parapets and the four corner turrets.
Aliva, standing out tall and slim against the August twilight, was assisting Beatrice Mertoun to support the Lady Margaret, who was quite overcome with all that was taking place.
Ralph fell on his knee before Aliva, and kissed her hand with a rapture too deep for words. But Aliva bent over him, and throwing up his visor, kissed his face.
A voice sounded behind them. "Tut, children! this is neither time nor place to tarry to make love.--Ladies, haste you, and get you gone to a place of safety. We have conquered our enemies, but not yet subdued the fire.--Lady Margaret, permit that I assist thee down these stairs.--Nephew Ralph, bring the Lady Aliva."
And the whole party, guided by De Beauchamp, hurried down into the hall, and thence into the débris and confusion which reigned in the bailey yards. The fast-falling darkness added to the weirdness of the scene--the ruins, the dead and dying, the shouts and cries of the victors, the crackling of the flames, and the crash of the charred beams as they fell.
Somehow or other in the tumult Ralph and Aliva got separated from the rest, and found themselves, when once clear of the fortifications, obliged for a few moments to stand aside on the river-bank to let a company of men-at-arms pass by with wounded and prisoners.