The Forest Lovers

"I am to leave Gracedieu and come with you, ma'am?"

"Yes. Are you afraid?"

For answer Isoult fell flat down and kissed Maulfry's silver hem.

"I will follow you to death!" she cried.

Maulfry shivered, then arched her brows.

"It will not be so bad as all that," she said. "Come then, we will

find the horses."

Isoult looked down confusedly at her grey frock.

"You little jay bird, who's to see you here among the trees? Come with

me, I'll set you strutting like a peacock before I've done with you,"

said Maulfry, in her mocking, good-humoured way.

They went together. Maulfry had hold of Isoult by the hand. Presently

they came to an open glade where there were two horses held by a

mounted groom. As soon as he saw them coming the groom got off, helped

Isoult first, then his mistress. They rode away at a quick trot down

the slope; the horses seemed to know the way.

Maulfry was in high spirits. She played a thousand tricks, and

enveigled from the brooding girl her most darling thoughts. Before

they had made their day's journey she had learnt all that she wanted

to know, or rather what she knew already. It confirmed what Galors had

told her: she believed his story. For her part Isoult, having once

made the plunge, gave her heart its way, bathed it openly in love, and

was not ashamed. To talk of Prosper more freely than she had ever

dared even to herself, to talk of loving him, of her hopes of winning

him! She seemed a winged creature as she flew through the hours of a

forest day. It pleased her, too, to think that she was being discreet

in saying nothing of her marriage. If Prosper had not thought fit to

reveal it to his accomplished friend she must keep the secret by all

means--his and hers. Instead of clouding her hopeful visions this gave

them an evening touch of mystery. It elevated her by making her an

accomplice. He and she were banded together against this all-wise

lady. No doubt she would learn it in time--in his time; and then

Isoult dreamed (and blushed as she dreamed) of another part, wherein

she would snuggle herself into his arm and whisper, "Have I not been

wise?" Then she would be kissed, and the lady would laugh to learn how

she had been outwitted by a young girl. Ah, what dreams! Isoult's

wings took her a far flight when once she had spread them to the sun.

Journeying thus they reached a road by nightfall, and a little House

of Access. To go direct to Tortsentier they should have passed this

house on the left-hand, for the tower was south-east from Gracedieu.

But there was a reason for the circuit, as for every other twist of

Maulfry's; the true path would have brought them too nearly upon that

by which Prosper and Isoult had come seeking sanctuary. Instead they

struck due east, and hit the main road which runs from High March to

Market Basing; then by going south for another day they would win

Tortsentier. Isoult, of course, as a born woodlander would know the

whereabouts of Maulfry's dwelling from any side but the north. She was

of South Morgraunt, and therefore knew nothing of the north or middle

forest. All this Maulfry had calculated. At the House of Access the

girl was actually a day's journey nearer Prosper than she had been at

the convent, but she knew nothing of it. Consequently her night's rest

refreshed her, waking dreams stayed the night, and left traces of

their rosy flames in her cheeks next morning. Maulfry, waking first,

looked at her as she lay pillowing her cheek on her arm, with her wild

hair spread behind her like a dark cloud. Maulfry, I say, looked at

her.