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

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
alone, and then went to my room, telling my maid I should not require her again tonight.
She thinks I have gone to bed — Papa imagines I am repenting in bitterness of
spirit. Nothing will be discovered until to-morrow morning, and then most likely they
will think I have only just made my escape, for I took care not to date the letter I wrote
to Papa — I thought it best to write, you know, telling him what we were doing, so that
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he need not raise a great hue and cry about me — and I rumpled up my bed so that it
will look as if I slept in it. Altogether, you see, I have been very clever. And now, while
they all think me so differently engaged, here I am flying away with you, Simon."
Simon felt a passing twinge at Rachel's first words, for deceit was naturally hateful to
him; but the mere sight of her laughing happy face, the triumphant sense of possession,
the consciousness of her whole-hearted dependence on him, speedily dispelled his
qualms, and his exhilaration increased as they sped rapidly onwards. After all he too
was young, and love was sweet; and at that moment the mere fact of existence
delightful.
It was a lovely evening, warm, yet with a sparkle in the air. As they flew past woods
and across common and moorland sweet spicy scents of pine and heather greeted their
nostrils. The sun set all in a glory, and the clear summer twilight made of the familiar
country a mysterious and wonderful land. Now they were far away from the
neighbourhood of Charnleigh, and the horse, settling down to a swift steady trot, swung
them rapidly over the coaching road which led to Preston. The twilight changed its
aspect, and their surroundings became more ethereal; the pale luminous green yonder at
the horizon began to deepen and to melt imperceptibly to a shadowy blue; the stars
twinkled out, and presently a great full moon rode triumphantly over their heads.
Silence had reigned for a little time between the lovers, but Rachel suddenly broke it:—
"To-morrow, Simon, to-morrow, we shall be speeding along this same road — man and
wife!"
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CHAPTER XXV.