“Tell Joseph to wait,” said Foxwell, glancing at the unfinished letter in his hand. Everell heard Caleb walk away through the hall to the house door. He knew there was a mounting-block at the side of that door: would Joseph let the horse wait there, or walk it up and down the courtyard? “And now again, Mr. Everell,” resumed Foxwell, “I bid you farewell; and I beg that this leave-taking may be final.”
Everell drew a deep breath; then replied: “I am willing it shall be final, sir. But one word before I go. I have pondered what you have said: ’tis clear I am no longer bound to you by any obligation: as for your niece, I am not bound by her promise.”
“I grant you,” replied Foxwell, “’tis for her alone to keep that.”
“But if I should prevent her keeping it?”
“’Tis not possible; or, if so, not to a man of honour.”
“Why not, pray? I am answerable only for my own promises. She is bound by hers, and will keep it—if she can. But if I prevent her, by force, she’ll not be to blame for that. There will be no breach of honour then.”
“I must end this, sir.—To cross another’s promise is no better than to break one’s own—”
“Not in this case, sir,” replied Everell, his voice rising in spite of himself, as his heart rose to the wild attempt he was about to make—rashness had brought him to this pass, let rashness bring him out!—“not in this case, for the promise concerns me, yet I was not consulted in its making—there’s reason for you! As for possibility, let’s put it to the test! Prevent her? Yes!” He had half-drawn his sword, but he quickly slid it back; flung his arms around Georgiana’s waist, and, lifting her high, made a dash for the hall, passing between Lady Strange and Prudence on the way; ran on out to the courtyard, where, by a lantern in Joseph’s hand, he saw the horse at the mounting-block; thanks to which, he gained the saddle in two steps, with the slight form of Georgiana still in his arms; jerked the bridle from Joseph’s hold ere the groom or the two other servants knew what was happening; applied the spurs, and was off at a gallop through the open gateway before Foxwell had got as far as to the house door in pursuit.
Foxwell had lost no more time through sheer astonishment than most men would have lost. But, as he started to go after Everell, the maid Prudence also started, apparently upon the impulse of concern for her mistress: being nearer the doorway, she arrived first; tripped at the threshold, and dropped on all fours, filling up the opening so that Foxwell was delayed for some seconds ere he could pass to the hall. He had hope that the servants about the house door would stop the fugitive; but they were taken by surprise, they knew that Everell was to leave, and they did not know for what purpose the horse had been got ready. So now the lover, with his prize in his arms, was galloping away in the darkness. Foxwell ordered two horses saddled, and sent Caleb to listen as to which direction the fugitive was taking.