Violet Jacob > Flemington

330
FLEMINGTON
your Highness to remember that now. I speak
of his motive because I know it.”
“ You are fortunate, then,” he interrupted.
“ Captain Callandar, to whom he gave himself
up, wrote me two letters at his request, one in
which he announced his arrest, and one which
I received as I entered my coach to leave my
door. Archie knows what is before him,” she
added ; “ he has no hope of life and no knowledge
of my action in coming to your Highness. But
he wished me to know the truth—that he had
conspired with no one. He is ready to suffer
for what he has done, but he will not have me
ashamed of him. Look, Sir ”
She pushed the letter over to him.
“ His motives may go hang, madam,” said
Cumberland.
“Your Highness, if you have any regard for us
who have served you, read this !”
He rose and went back to the fireplace.
“ There is no need, madam. I am not interested
in the correspondence of others.”
He was becoming impatient; he had spent
enough time on this lady. She was not young
enough to give him any desire to detain her.
She was an uncommon-looking woman, certainly,
but at her age that fact could matter to nobody.
He wondered, casually, whether the old stories
about her and Charles Edward’s father were true.
Women struck him only in one light.
“You will not read this, your Royal High¬
ness ?” said Christian, with a little tremor of voice.