The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900 ... - Gredos

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
glances over his shoulder at this unwished for escort; but Simon stalked on, unheeding.
Arrived at the vehicle the baronet tumbled rather than stepped in, and the groom
clambered up behind; Fleetwood stood by, the while, and as Sir Walter sank back in his
corner he tossed the cloak on to his knees.
"Remember my words," he said sternly. "Ride on, boy. Mind you carry this gentleman
swiftly, for he is in haste to return to town."
"Curse you!" growled Sir Walter, banging to the door, and drawing up the window. But
the postboy set spurs to his horses, cracked his whip, and in a few moments the coach
was out of sight.
[244]
CHAPTER XXII.
Say thou lov'st me while thou live,
I to thee my love will give.
Never dreaming to deceive
While that life endures.
Nay, and after death, in sooth,
I to thee will keep my truth,
As now, when in my May of youth.
This my love assures. —Old Song.
With the paper in his pocket, which had been like to prove so costly to its writer, Simon
crossed the wood again, and took his way quickly through the Charnleigh fields in the
direction of a certain plantation, where Rachel had announced her intention of awaiting
the result of the interview. As he drew near he saw her white-robed form leisurely
threading its way through the fir trees, the level rays of the western sun defining every
outline with a rim of gold. A light breeze lifted her curls, and set her ribbons dancing
and fluttering; and he perceived, as she drew nearer, that her face wore an expression of
pleased and eager curiosity. Simon, whose heart still burned within him at the
remembrance of the pitfall recently dug for her, was conscious, at sight of this gay,