The Midnight Queen - Page 176/177

The king himself advanced to her rescue, and drawing her arm within

his, he led her up and presented her to the fair Mistress Stuart, who

received her with smiling graciousness though Leoline, all unused

to court ways, and aware of the lovely lady's questionable position,

returned it almost with cold hauteur. Charles being in an unusually

gracious mood, only smiled as he noticed it, and introduced her next to

his brother of York, and her former short acquaintance, Rochester.

"There's no need, I presume, to make you acquainted with this other

gentleman," said Charles, with a laughing glance at Sir Norman.

"Kingsley, stand forward and receive your bride. My Lord of Canterbury,

we await your good offices."

The bland bishop, in surplice and stole, and book in hand, stepped from

a distant group, and advanced. Sir Norman, with a flush on his cheek,

and an exultant light in his eyes, took the hand of his beautiful bride

who stood lovely, and blushing, and downcast, the envy and admiration of

all. And "Before the bishop now they stand,

The bridegroom and the bride;

And who shall paint what lovers feel

In this, their hour of pride?"

Who indeed? Like many other pleasant things is this world, it requires

to be felt to be appreciated; and, for that reason, it is a subject on

which the unworthy chronicler is altogether incompetent to speak. The

first words of the ceremony dropped from the prelate's urbane lips, and

Sir Norman's heart danced a tarantella within him. "Wilt thou?" inquired

the bishop, blandly, and slipped a plain gold ring on one pretty finger

of Leoline's hand and all heard the old, old formula: "What God hath

joined together, let no man put asunder!" And the whole mystic rite was

over.

Leoline gave one earnest glance at the ring on her finger. Long ago,

slaves wore rings as the sign of their bondage--is it for the same

reason married women wear them now? While she yet looked half-doubtfully

at it, she was surrounded, congratulated, and stunned with a

sadden clamor of voices; and then, through it all, she heard the

well-remembered voice of Count L'Estrange, saying:

"My lords and ladies, time is on the wing, and the sun is already half

an hour high! Off with you all to the courtyard, and mount, while Lady

Kingsley changes her wedding-gear for robes more befitting travel, and

joins us there."

With a low obeisance to the king, the lovely bride hastened away after

one of the favorite's attendants, to do as he directed, and don a

riding-suit. In ten minutes after, when the royal cavalcade started, she

turned from the pest-stricken city, too and fairest, where all was fair,

by Sir Norman's side rode Leoline.