The lady started at the sound of it, threw back the mantle from her head, and cast her eyes around in strong agitation, until they glanced on Hepborne’s face, when she uttered a faint scream, and fell back senseless into the arms of her attendants, who crowded around her, and hastily bore her within the gateway of the Castle, the defences of which being immediately closed, she was shut from his straining sight.
Hepborne stood for some time in a state of stupefaction ere he could muster sufficient self-command to return to his tent. The abrupt termination of the scene, which still remained fresh on his mind, almost convinced him of the accuracy of his conjecture as to its having been some strange supernatural appearance he had beheld. He slowly found his way to his friends, his soul vexed by a thousand contending conjectures and perplexities, which he found it impossible to satisfy or reconcile.
Meanwhile Mortimer Sang, who had been earnestly searching for the body of Rory Spears, of whose death he had begun to entertain great apprehensions, was surprised by the appearance of a damsel, whom he saw bearing a torch and bitterly weeping.
“Holy St. Andrew!” exclaimed he; “Katherine Spears, can it be thee in very body—or is it thy wraith I behold? Speak, if thou be’st flesh and blood—for the love of the Holy Virgin, speak.”
“Oh, dear Master Sang,” cried Katherine, running to him and proving by the gripe that she took of his arm, that she was indeed something corporeal, “the blessed St. Mary be praised that I have met with thee; thank Heaven, thou art safe at least. But, oh, tell me, tell me, hast thou seen aught of my dear father? Hath he ’scaped this dreadful field of death?”
“Thy father, I trust, is well,” replied Sang, much perplexed; “but how, in the name of all that is wonderful, didst thou come here?”
“I came with an English lady, who is now at the Castle of Otterbourne,” replied Katherine evasively. “But, oh, tell me, tell me, I entreat thee,” said the poor girl, earnestly seizing his hand, “tell me, hast thou seen my father sith the fight was over?”
“He hath not appeared since the battle,” said Sang in a half-choked voice, and with considerable hesitation; “but we trust [[467]]he may be prisoner with the English, for as yet we have searched for him in vain among the slain scattered over the field. Yes,” continued he, in a firmer and more assured tone, as he observed the alarm that was taking possession of her; “yes, he hath not been found—and as he hath not been found, dear Katherine, it is clear that he must be a prisoner—so—and—and so thou wilt soon see him again; for as there must be a truce, the few prisoners ta’en by the English must speedily be sent home again.”
“Nay, but do they seek him still, Sir Squire?” cried Katherine, but little satisfied with this attempt of Sang’s to soothe her apprehension. “Alas, I must seek for him.”
“Nay, this is no scene for thee, dear Katherine,” replied Sang; “return I pray thee to the Castle, and I will search, and thou shalt quickly know all.”