hat is to secure you
happiness, rank, station, and independence. But she conquered, no
doubt. You promised to concur in my terrible scheme? Is it not so,
Wilton?"
"Yes, my lord, I did," replied Wilton.
"Upon my word, you are a pretty gentleman, to make ladies sue you
thus," continued the Earl, in a jeering tone. "I dare say she made
you vow all sorts of things?"
"I pledged myself solemnly, my lord," replied Wilton, "to do all that
depended upon me to forward your lordship's plan for the Duke's
escape, and she knows me too well to entertain a doubt of my keeping
that promise to the letter."
"Not my plan, not my plan, Wilton," said the Earl, in a more pleasant
tone. "It must be your plan, my young friend; for I might put my head
in danger, remember. It is a different thing with you, who are not
yet sworn of the privy council. I will take care, also, that no harm
shall happen to you. The Duke was talking of some valet that he has,
whom he wishes to send out of the prison to-morrow night. Now, what I
propose, in order to facilitate all your arrangements with regard to
Lady Laura, is to give you an order upon the governor of the Tower to
suffer you and Lady Laura, and one man-servant and one maid, to pass
out any time to-morrow before twelve o'clock at night. I write a
little note to the Governor at the same time, telling him that, with
the consent of all parties, you and Lady Laura are to be married
privately in the Tower, to-morrow evening, by the chaplain, and I
have provided you with all the necessary authorizations for the
chaplain. You will find them there in that paper.--My note will not
at all surprise the Governor, because it has been the common talk of
the town for the last two months that you were going to be married to
Lady Laura, and most likely the good Governor has not heard of the
Duke's whims at Somersbury. The note will therefore only serve as a
reason for your wishing to go out late at night, which is contrary to
rules, you know. The Governor will give orders about it to his
subordinates, as he is going down to spend a day or two at Hampton
Court, and testify his duty to the King. If, therefore, you go away
with your attendants towards midnight, you will find nobody up who
knows the Duke, and a livery jacket and badge may cover whomsoever
you like. A carriage can be waiting for you on Tower Hill, and a
small brig called the Skimmer is lying with papers sealed and
everything prepared a little below Greenwich.--Now, Wilton," he
added, "if