It was in the mind of the sick lady to disburden herself of more than her weakness could utter, so far was she above earthly links. The desire in her was to be quit of the flesh, bearing a picture of her husband as having the dues of his merits.
Her recovered strength next day brought her nearer to our laws. ‘You will call him Owain, Carinthia?’ she said. ‘He is not one to presume on familiarity. I must be going soon. I cannot leave him the wife I would choose. I can leave him the sister. He is a sure friend. He is the knightly man women dream of. I harp on it because I long for testimony that I leave him to have some reward. And this may be, between two so pure at heart as you two.’
‘Dear soul friend, yes, and Owain, yes, I can say it,’ Carinthia rejoined. ‘Brother? I have only my Chillon. My life is now for him. I am punished for separating myself from the son of my father. I have no heart for a second brother. What I can give to my friend I will. I shall love you in him, if I am to lose you.’
‘Not Owain—it was I was the wretch refused to call on the lonely lady at the castle until I heard she had done a romantic little bit of thing—hushed a lambkin’s bleating. My loss! my loss! And I could afford it so poorly. Since then Carinthia has filled my days. I shudder to leave you and think of your going back to the English. Their sneer withers. They sent you down among us as a young woman to be shunned.’
‘I did wildly, I was ungoverned, I had one idea,’ said Carinthia. ‘One idea is a bullet, good for the day of battle to beat the foe, father tells us. It was a madness in me. Now it has gone, I see all round. I see straight, too. With one idea, we see nothing—nothing but itself. Whizz! we go. I did. I shall no longer offend in that way. Mr. Gower Woodseer is here from my lord.’
‘With him the child will be safe.’
‘I am not alarmed. It is to request—they would have me gone, to prepare the way for my lord.’
‘You have done, it; he has the castle to himself. I cannot-spare you. A tyrant ordering you to go should be defied. My Lord Fleetwood puts lightning into my slow veins.’
‘We have talked: we shall be reproved by the husband and the doctor,’ said Carinthia.
Sullen days continued and rolled over to night at the mines. Gower’s mission was rendered absurd by the countess’s withdrawal from the castle. He spoke of it to Mr. Wythan once, and the latter took a big breath and blew such a lord to the winds. ‘Persuade our guest to leave us, that the air may not be tainted for her husband when he comes? He needn’t call; he’s not obliged to see her. She’s offered Esslemont to live in? I believe her instinct’s right—he has designs on the child. A little more and we shall have a mad dog in the fellow. He doubles my work by keeping his men out. If she were away we should hear of black doings. Twenty dozen of his pugilists wouldn’t stop the burning.’