"Then you must let him into our secret," said Markham; "first speaking with the lady, and asking her consent. You must tell her, too, to be prepared at any moment to put our scheme in execution; let nothing take her by surprise; and, above all, give her some hint that it may be needful she should put on man's attire. If I know her rightly, that will be the greatest stumbling-block."
"It will not please her," answered Ida Mara; "but still, for her own sake and her husband's, I am sure she will consent."
"Were it not better," asked Sir Harry, "that the one escaped first, and the other followed?"
"No, no," replied Markham; "I have thought of that; but I am very sure, that the durance of the other would be rendered ten times as severe, the moment one was gone. Let them both go together, Sir Harry, then there is but one risk for all."
"But there is a difficulty," said Sir Harry West, "which you have not foreseen, good sir. Mr. Seymour has pledged himself not to go beyond----"
"That is at an end," exclaimed Markham; "they have taken from him the limits they allowed; and, consequently, he is freed from his promise. He is willing enough now to escape, and, moreover, feels sure of effecting it with little, if any, need of help: we shall but have to let him know where the ship lies, and he will undertake the rest. I will see you to-morrow at Highgate, lady fair, and tell you more when all is arranged. Now, hie you home; for it is growing dark, and you are too pretty a flower to bear the night air."
"I will go with you, Ida," said the old Knight.
"I have one of the men with me," answered Ida Mara; "and have but to go down to the water-side. Have I anything else to tell the lady?"
"Nothing at present," replied Markham; "to-morrow I will visit you, as I have said, in some shape or other; and if you should have occasion to write, let it be in your native tongue; I shall understand you. We will see you safe, till you have rejoined your companion. Go on, and we will follow."
Thus saying, he opened the door of his room; and Ida Mara, descending the stairs, with a quick pace, walked on to the spot where Arabella's servant stood near the shop at which she had left him; Sir Harry West and Markham keeping at the distance of a step or two behind. The old Knight, however, was not satisfied, even when he saw her under the protection of a single attendant; and still, accompanied by Markham, continued to follow her.