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Mistress Wilding By: Rafael Sabatini (1875-1950) |
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By Rafael Sabatini
CONTENTS I. POT VALIANCE II. SIR ROWLAND TO THE RESCUE III. DIANA SCHEMES IV. TERMS OF SURRENDER V. THE ENCOUNTER VI. THE CHAMPION VII. THE NUPTIALS of RUTH WESTMACOTT VIII. BRIDE AND GROOM IX. MR. TRENCHARD'S COUNTERSTROKE X. THEIR OWN PETARD XI. THE MARPLOT XII. AT THE FORD XIII "PRO RELIGIONE ET LIBERTATE" XIV. HIS GRACE IN COUNSEL XV. LYME OF THE KING XVI. PLOTS AND PLOTTERS XVII. MR. WILDING'S RETURN XVIII. BETRAYAL XIX. THE BANQUET XX. THE RECKONING XXI. THE SENTENCE XXII. THE EXECUTION XXIII. MR. WILDING'S BOOTS XXIV. JUSTICE CHAPTER I. POT VALIANCE
Then drink it thus, cried the rash young fool, and splashed the contents
of his cup full into the face of Mr. Wilding even as that gentleman, on
his feet, was proposing to drink to the eyes of the young fool's sister. The moments that followed were full of interest. A stillness, a
brooding, expectant stillness, fell upon the company and it numbered
a round dozen about Lord Gervase's richly appointed board. In the soft
candlelight the oval table shone like a deep brown pool, in which were
reflected the gleaming silver and sparkling crystal that seemed to float
upon it. Blake sucked in his nether lip, his florid face a thought less florid
than its wont, his prominent blue eyes a thought more prominent. Under
its golden periwig old Nick Trenchard's wizened countenance was darkened
by a scowl, and his fingers, long, swarthy, and gnarled, drummed
fretfully upon the table. Portly Lord Gervase Scoresby their host, a
benign and placid man of peace, detesting turbulence turned crimson now
in wordless rage. The others gaped and stared some at young Westmacott,
some at the man he had so grossly affronted whilst in the shadows of
the hall a couple of lacqueys looked on amazed, all teeth and eyes. Mr. Wilding stood, very still and outwardly impassive, the wine trickling
from his long face, which, if pale, was no paler than its habit,
a vestige of the smile with which he had proposed the toast still
lingering on his thin lips, though departed from his eyes. An elegant
gentleman was Mr. Wilding, tall, and seeming even taller by virtue of
his exceeding slenderness. He had the courage to wear his own hair,
which was of a dark brown and very luxuriant; dark brown too were his
sombre eyes, low lidded and set at a downward slant. From those odd eyes
of his, his countenance gathered an air of superciliousness tempered by
a gentle melancholy. For the rest, it was scored by lines that stamped
it with the appearance of an age in excess of his thirty years. Thirty guineas' worth of Mechlin at his throat was drenched, empurpled
and ruined beyond redemption, and on the breast of his blue satin coat a
dark patch was spreading like a stain of blood. Richard Westmacott, short, sturdy, and fair complexioned to the point
of insipidity, watched him sullenly out of pale eyes, and waited. It
was Lord Gervase who broke at last the silence broke it with an oath, a
thing unusual in one whose nature was almost woman mild. "As God's my life!" he spluttered wrathfully, glowering at Richard. "To
have this happen in my house! The young fool shall make apology!" "With his dying breath," sneered Trenchard, and the old rake's words,
his tone, and the malevolent look he bent upon the boy increased the
company's malaise. "I think," said Mr. Wilding, with a most singular and excessive
sweetness, "that what Mr. Westmacott has done he has done because he
apprehended me amiss." "No doubt he'll say so," opined Trenchard with a shrug, and had caution
dug into his ribs by Blake's elbow, whilst Richard made haste to prove
him wrong by saying the contrary. "I apprehended you exactly, sir," he answered, defiance in his voice and
wine flushed face. "Ha!" clucked Trenchard, irrepressible. "He's bent on self destruction.
Let him have his way, in God's name." But Wilding seemed intent upon showing how long suffering he could
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Genres for this book |
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Adventure |
Historical Fiction |
Literature |
Romance |
War stories |
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