The Grateful Indian Part 5

"He is the son of my chief shepherd," replied Sir Lancelot; "he was always a good-looking lad, and is an excellent servant."

Then, anxious to divert Sir John's attention from Henry, whose handsome features he feared might remind the knight of the late Lord Clifford, whom his son strongly resembled, he began to talk of other things. But Henry did not forget the sweet face of the young lady, or the beautiful eyes he had seen fixed intently upon him, eyes as bright as the stars he was so fond of gazing upon, and he could not help feeling sad to think the fates had placed him in a sphere so much beneath her.

It chanced one day as he watched his flocks feeding on the mountains, he saw the damsel on her white palfrey, attended by a single page, riding direct towards the spot where he was reclining in profound meditation, beneath the spreading branches of a luxuriant oak, that s.h.i.+elded him from the noonday sun. He rose at her approach, and took off his cap, displaying a rich profusion of nut-brown hair as he gracefully made his obeisance, supposing she would pa.s.s by with merely a slight notice, therefore he blushed with surprise and pleasure when she stopped her horse, and said in the sweetest tone imaginable--

"Good day, shepherd Henry; I come to ask a service of you."

"If I can render you service, lady, you may command me, even to the peril of my life."

"Nay, I would not have you peril your life for my behoof," she replied, with a smile.

"In riding over the hills this morning, I have lost a golden clasp, with three diamonds, that fastened my gorget, and I would ask you, should you meet with such a bauble in your ramblings, to carry it to the Lady Margaret of Threlkeld, who will see that it is restored to me."

"Lady I will not fail to do your bidding. Few persons traverse those hills, and I doubt not the jewel may be recovered."

"Thanks, gentle shepherd. We leave Threlkeld this day; so farewell, and be a.s.sured your courtesy will not be forgotten by Anne of Bletso."

That night, by moonlight, Henry wandered over the hills in search of the lost treasure, and for many hours he sought in vain; but at length, oh joyful sight! he saw the diamonds glittering in the moonbeams, at the bottom of a deep ravine, and without a moment's hesitation he commenced the dangerous descent. A single false step and he would have been dashed to pieces against the sharp points of the craggy rock, but with a steady hand and firm foot he gained the depth in safety, seized the prize; then, with great difficulty, and not without a few wounds and bruises, he climbed up again, and stood triumphant on the brink of a really frightful precipice. If the young lady had known where her clasp was to be found, she certainly would not have asked him to look for it; but he was himself well pleased to have encountered any danger for her sake, and in thoughtful mood he returned to the cottage, and repaired to his humble couch to dream of Anne Saint John.

"Why, Henry, what hast thee been doing to face and hands, boy?" said Robin the next morning.

"I stumbled into a brake, father," replied Henry, laughing, "and got a few scratches, that's all."

"Dear heart, but they are grievous hurts!" exclaimed Maud, "you must let me put a balsam to them, Henry."

"As you will, mother, but it is hardly worth while for so light a matter."

The balsam, however, was applied, and the wounds were speedily healed, but Henry did not recover his wonted peace of mind. As Lord Clifford he might have won the hand of the high-born maiden on whom his thoughts now constantly dwelt; but, as Henry the Shepherd, even to speak to her was presumption. Never had he lamented over his fallen fortunes as he did now; but he buried his regrets in his own bosom, nor did he let it appear, either by word or look, that he was less contented than he was before.

Lady Margaret had taken care of the clasp, but she told him the country was again threatened with warfare, so that it would not be safe to entrust anything of value to the hands of a messenger; therefore she would keep it till Sir Lancelot went to Bletso, which he intended to do ere long. She did not tell him that Sir John Saint John had come to Threlkeld to give secret information to herself and her husband of the project contemplated by the chief n.o.bles, to depose King Richard and place the Earl of Richmond on the throne. She was afraid of exciting hopes that might end in disappointment, yet she was herself sanguine as to the possibility of De Clifford being restored to his rights if the crown should be won by a prince of the House of Lancaster. Sir John took great interest in the cause, being himself related in a distant degree to Henry Earl of Richmond; therefore the Saint John's of Bletso had royal blood in their veins.

It was the close of the autumn, in the year 1485, when Lady Margaret came one evening to Robin's cottage, not secretly as heretofore, not in fear and trembling lest it should be known for whom her visit was intended, but openly to greet her son as De Clifford's heir. Little did he guess the purport of her coming as he returned her fond embrace, but he saw that her countenance was radiant with happiness, and he asked if Sir Lancelot had returned.

"No, my son, he is in London; and, Henry, I have important news to tell.

Have you courage to hear it?"

"Why should I need courage, dear mother? You do not look as if you had evil tidings to communicate."

"The tidings I bring are not evil; but it requires fort.i.tude to bear a great joy as well as a great sorrow, when it comes upon us unexpectedly."

Henry's heart began to beat more quickly, his face flushed, and his voice trembled as he asked--

"Mother, what has happened? Tell me at once, I beseech you."

"I told you, Henry, that we were looking for a renewal of the war."

"Yes, you told me so. Has it begun again?"

"It has begun and ended, I hope, for ever. There has been a battle; King Richard is killed, and a prince of the House of Lancaster now sits on the throne."

Henry started up from his seat, his eyes fixed on Lady Margaret's face in an agony of suspense.

"And I, mother, what have I to do with this?"

"Much, my beloved son. Henry the Seventh is a just and n.o.ble prince, and your father, my husband, is at his court even now."

"Then, am I--am I--" he could not give utterance to what he wished to say, but Lady Margaret knew what he would ask, and replied--

"Yes, my Henry, it is even so. You are now Lord Clifford before all the world, and I, your mother, may once more fearlessly acknowledge my son."

Henry fell on his knees, and raised his clasped hands and streaming eyes in grat.i.tude to heaven. He could scarcely realise this great, this overwhelming happiness. Again and again he embraced that tender mother, who, for so many years had watched over him like a guardian angel, and smoothed the rugged path he had been forced to tread.

When the first emotions of joy had in some degree subsided, and he was calm enough to listen to the account of how this happy change had been brought about, Lady Margaret told him that the new sovereign, immediately on his accession, had declared his intention of restoring to their rights all those n.o.bles who had been dispossessed of their lands and t.i.tles by Edward the Fourth; and that Sir Lancelot Threlkeld, on hearing this, had proceeded to the court, with Sir John Saint John of Bletso, in order to make known to the king that the heir of the late Lord Clifford was still in existence. She said she had that morning received intelligence from Sir Lancelot that the royal decree was already pa.s.sed for the restoration of Clifford's son to all his father's lands and dignities, and it was with the utmost surprise Henry now learned, for the first time, how immense were the possessions to which he was ent.i.tled; for, besides the great estates of Skipton and Brougham, his inheritance comprised the castles, manors, and lords.h.i.+ps of Appleby, Pendragon, Brough, and Mallerstane Chase in Westmoreland; Barden Tower, Copley Feld, and other manors in Yorks.h.i.+re; with lands and castles in c.u.mberland, Northumberland, Derbys.h.i.+re, Worcesters.h.i.+re and Surrey.

Clifford's Inn, which is now used as law offices and chambers, in Fleet Street, was then a n.o.bleman's mansion with beautiful gardens; and this was Lord Clifford's residence in London.

No wonder the humble shepherd should be dazzled and astonished to find himself all at once the lord of those vast domains; and not only these, but all the Bromflete estates, that had belonged to Lord de Vesci, his grandfather, were now his by right of inheritance. It would be impossible to describe the joy of the worthy couple who had so long performed the part of parents to the shepherd lord, at the wondrous turn of fortune that had raised him once more to the elevated sphere that was his birthright.

"We have lost a son," said old Robin, "but we have found a n.o.ble master; and may heaven grant him a long life to enjoy his own."

"Think not, my father, that you have lost a son," said Henry, pressing the old man's hand with affectionate warmth. "I shall be ever a son to you."

"And to me also, my Lord Henry," said Maud, "for it would break my heart now if you should bear yourself towards me proudly in your own grand castle."

"I should ill deserve my good fortune, dear Maud, if it made me so ungrateful as to bear myself proudly towards you. Though I may be the lord of fifty castles, you will always be to me a second mother."

The next day Henry took his place in the house of Sir Lancelot Threlkeld as Lord Clifford. He laid aside the peasant's suit of homely grey for a dress befitting his rank, which Lady Margaret furnished him with from her husband's wardrobe; and very handsome he looked in a mulberry coloured vest richly embroidered with gold, a short cloak of blue satin falling over one shoulder, and a diamond hilted sword by his side, for such was the fas.h.i.+on of the age.

The faithful Rolf was despatched to Brougham Castle to see that all was prepared for the reception of its lord; and right well did he execute the commission. A sumptuous feast was provided, and a grand pageant prepared to meet him at the castle-gate. All the ancient banners that had been taken down and thrown aside, were now displayed again in the hall, and, under the superintendence of Rolf, everything was made to look just as it did before the banishment of the family.

At length the bright day dawned that was to see Henry de Clifford restored to the beloved home of his childhood, and the people had flocked from far and near to hail the return of Brougham's rightful lord. It was nearly noon when the cavalcade was seen approaching. Then loud acclamations rent the air, and, as Henry lifted his plumed and jewelled cap to acknowledge the greeting of the joyous mult.i.tude, his heart was overflowing with grat.i.tude to the Father of all mercies, and he could scarcely restrain the tears that were ready to gush from his eyes. He was mounted on a fine grey horse, and on one side of him rode his lady mother, on the other Sir Lancelot Threlkeld, while behind him came a fair lady, escorted by a gentleman of n.o.ble mien. This was his sister Elizabeth, who had lived for many years in the Netherlands, and was married to Sir Robert Aske, a wealthy knight, who was now with her.

They were followed; by a long train of knights and gentlemen and their attendants, forming a retinue that might have graced a prince, and so they came onward towards the castle-gate, where a triumphal arch was erected, on the top of which were two figures clothed in white, with outspread wings, and golden crowns, intended, perhaps, to represent angels; and as Clifford pa.s.sed under the arch, they chanted these lines--

"Now the Red Rose blooms again, Clifford o'er his own shall reign.

Fill the cup, and sheath the sword, To welcome back our n.o.ble lord."

And now the shepherd lord stood once more in his father's bannered hall.

Silently he gazed around him on the well-known scene, too powerfully affected to give utterance to his feelings; and, as his mother clasped his hand, she felt that it trembled even more than her own.

"Let us pa.s.s on, my Henry," she whispered softly, "we must hold communion alone."

Henry could not speak, but he pressed her hand a.s.sentingly, and they left the hall together, amid the congratulations and good wishes of all therein a.s.sembled.

The mother and son were absent for the s.p.a.ce of an hour, engaged, no doubt, in prayer and thanksgiving, for when they returned to the hall Henry had recovered his composure, and took the highest seat at the sumptuous banquet with all the dignity of his n.o.ble race.

Gladsome was the feast that day at Brougham Castle; joyous were the songs of the minstrel bards as they celebrated, in extempore verse, the exile's restoration to his long lost home.

You may be sure that amongst the joyful a.s.semblage that crowded the banquetting hall on that auspicious day, old Robin and his wife Maud held a distinguished place; and proud indeed were they to hear themselves addressed by the n.o.ble host as father and mother.