CHAPTER XIII.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 126, 1 October 1875, Page 6

CHAPTER XIII.

THE CAPTIVE. When Florence left tho presence of the queen, she little thought still greater anxiety was in store for her in the fact, that Sir Reginald, whose arrival she so much dreaded, whilst she believed him the adherent of the Dutch monarch, aware that the queen would rurry on her nuptials and retain her at her own Court, was really still in Ireland, and, moreover, that he was fighting in behalf of the rights of James, under the command of Sarsfield. Not long wai she allowed to remain in ignorance of his defection from the cause of William ; the following morning tho queen, who was a much better tactitian than the unsophisticated Florence, chose tho time when boih herself nnd her captive, for sveh the latter really wds, were engaged, Florence at the embroidery frame, the queen at the beloved occupation of her leisure moments, knotting fringe, to convey the startling intelligence to her. Though Queen Mary was an inveterate worker, her busy fingers in no way weakened her power of governing during the long and frequent periods of the Dutch king's absence when engaged in carrying on his continental wars, or managing his trans-marine possessions. But while the queen's head was bent over her everlasting work, the changes in her countenance could not be discerned. Sho had just parted with William, and her fond heart always ached when this was the case ; moreover, day after day, some startling intelligence connected with a new plot, or fresh conspiracies springing out of the old : one, in which the unfortunate Nevill Payne had been engaged, conspii ed to ruifle and disturb an equanimity of temper which was" too often assumed as on this occasion, when her blood was at boiling heat, concerning the defection of Sir Reginald. " I have surprising news for you," ahe said j "it is not likely Sir Reginald will return to London, if he does, he will be at once consigned to the Tower." As the queen utlered these ominous words, she observed Florence start and turn deadly pale, the needle fell from her hand, affection at that moment gaining the clay over loyalty to the exiled Court at St. G-ermains, and on the imqul&e of the moment, she arose, and castiug herself a 1 the feefc of the queen, her eyes streaming with te u*s, sho was at once transformed into the suppliant, exclaiming : "To the Tower, gracious Madam, ah ! no, no, what evil has he done ? In the whole realm of England you have not a more loyal supportor of your throne than he." " Your betrothed is a traitor to our cause," said the queon bitterly, "he bus taken up arms under the Jacobite general, Sarsfield $

but why these tears, you exhibited no signs of pleasure when I told you the king had summoned him hither for his nuptials/ Spare your grief now, I shall attach you to my own person ; I do not intend you to leave the court. I shall not be long before JL .find a more fitting mate for the heiress of the O'Neill's than he would havo been." Then Mary's handsome face again bent over her frame, and a sickly smile sat upon her lips, for well she knew the woman she tormented was in secret pining to return to St. Germains. She knew the news of Sir Reginald's defection could bring her no relief, as whilst she was in England it would enforce a separation; also, that tko quarrel between them had originated solely in one feeling, that of a deep-seated loyalty to her own dethroned and exiled father. The queen then exulted in the power she possessed of detaining Florence at Court, knowing that whilst she mu?t at heart be pleased at what she had told her, she must sorrow more intensely than ever over the adverse fate that detained her so unwillingly in London. "We are going to be very gay this winter," continued the queen, " so put a bright face on the change things have taken ; nay, do ftoi^ look so lachrymose, child," and the queen put forth her hand to assist her to rise, " the King and myself were well pleased to further your interests, by pushing on your marriage with this ungrateful St. John, before he had thrown off his allegiance, so have we those same interests still at heart, consequently I appoint you from this moment one of my maids of honor, and promise you a far better spouse than the traitor you have lost ; nay, nay, he is not worth your tears," sha added, as they fell on tho hand Florence raised to her lips ere she returned to her seat. Scarce conscious, indeed, of what she did, she stood for a moment beside queen Mary' b seat, and. forgetful of prudence and caution, was about to implore her to allow her to return to France, and have flung back in her face the proffered friendship, but even as the words trembled on her lips, the queen arose, saying : ■ - " Poor Florence, I shall lsave^ you to yourself for the next feir hours, during which you must grow resigned to that which you cannot by any means amend, and I shall expect you to accompany me to the theatre to-night, as one of my ladies in attendance j nay, not a word," she added, "lam your best friend in not allowing you to remain, brooding over your sorrow alone ;" then, as' the queen reached the door, she suddenly paused as if a thought had occurred to her, saying : "By tho way, did you not come to England under the care of one Mr. Ashton, formerly one of the gentlemen of the household of — of the ex-queen ?" As queen Mary spoke, the expression of her features indicated what was passing in her mind ; there was that about her which might well intimidate a young woman trammelled as Florence now was. The name of Ashton awakened all her fears, and as she raised her eyes with a troubled expression on her countenance to that of the queen, the very enquiry seemed to paralyze her, besides, she was herself compromised if the queen knew anything concerning the conspiracy, so she replied at once in the affirmative. " And you were to return to St. Germains under his protection in about a week from tho present time ?" " Yes, gracious Madam," said Florence, with somewhat more of calmness in her manner, "it was the wish of the queen, my mistress, that I should go back to St. Germains at Christmas, but Mr. Ashton—" " Had not completed his arrangements," interrupted the queen, in an ironical tone, " rumours have reached my ears implicating him« self and others ; be thankful that you are safely attached to the Eng* lish Court, and have nothing more to do with such persons." As queen Mary spoke, sho hastened from the room, and for a moment Florence stood in the same position, as one dazed and bewildered under some heavy stroke. Then, almost mechanically, she gathered together the gay silks and gold thread, with which she was embroidering a scarf for the queen, and hastened to her own room. " Fatal, fatal day," she murmured, " when the rash idea took possession of my pcor weak woman's heart, leading me to think that I could benefit those I loved. Alas, alas, I have but brought ruin on my own head, and failed to aid their cause. Ah! Reginald, and my royal master and mistress, what \%ill be your feelings when you hear I am detained at queen Mary's Court, in truth, but as a captive, whilab she feigns herself my friend." "Was there no way to escape?" she thought. "No, none." Indeed, the only chance for her own personal safety consisted, she felt convinced, in patiently and quietly submitting to the will of tbi queen, aware thnt it was extremely possible she might soon find' home in the Tower, were it known that in the slightest way sh« had interfered in the contemplated rising. She knew too, how ruthless and determined the queen had shown herself, that, at the period of which we write, on mere suspicion of Jacobitisni, it was no unusual thing to be apprehended on Privy Council warrants, at a theatre, a ball, or a party, and be suddenly consigned to that gloomy fortress, the Tower. j-ensitive, haughty, and imperious, the young heiress of the O'Neill's felt acutely her positiou ; sho was to be the constant attendant of the queen, unless some fortuitous accident released her, compelled to dwell with her as her favorite protegee, but in reality a prisoner, under no very mild surveillance, separated from Reginald, who had now, by his adhesion to James, himself removed the only obstacle that had existed to her union, as- well as prevented from ever returning to St. Germains, whilst no small part of her suffering would arise from the necessity of hiding it under a cheerful exterior. For the present, indeed, the queen would excuse her v tears, as they might be naturally supposed to flow from her separation from Sir Reginald, this at the moment, too, when she would have joyfully yielded him her hand. "A round of dissipation is before me," sighed she as she rose wearily from tho couch, against which she had knelt whilst giving free vent to her anguish, " and poor Ashtou, how will it fare with him and myself, and Lord Preston, if that conspiracy be" detected."