[The Midnight Queen by May Agnes Fleming]@TWC D-Link bookThe Midnight Queen CHAPTER III 10/12
It contained four persons--the oarsman, two cavaliers sitting in the stern, and a lad in the rich livery of a court-page in the act of springing out.
Nothing very wonderful in all this; and Sir Norman and Ormiston looked at her for an explanation. "Do you know those two gentlemen ?" she asked. "Certainly," replied Sir Norman, promptly; "one is the Duke of York, the other the Earl of Rochester." "And that page, to which of them does he belong ?" "The page!" said Sir Norman, with a stare, as he leaned forward to look; "pray, madam, what has the page to do with it ?" "Look and see!" The two peers has ascended the stairs, and were already on the bridge. The page loitered behind, talking, as it seemed, to the waterman. "He wears the livery of the Earl of Rochester," said Ormiston, speaking for the first time, "but I cannot see his face." "He will follow presently, and be sure you see it then! Possibly you may not find it entirely new to you." She drew back into the shadow as she spoke; and the two nobles, as they advanced, talking earnestly, beheld Sir Norman and Ormiston.
Both raised their hats with a look of recognition, and the salute was courteously returned by the others. "Good-night, gentlemen," said Lord Rochester; "a hot evening, is it not? Have you come here to witness the illumination ?" "Hardly," said Sir Norman; "we have come for a very different purpose, my lord." "The fires will have one good effect," said Ormiston laughing; "if they clear the air and drive away this stifling atmosphere." "Pray God they drive away the plague!" said the Duke of York, as he and his companion passed from view. The page sprang up the stairs after them, humming as he came, one of his master's love ditties--songs, saith tradition, savoring anything but the odor of sanctity.
With the warning of La Masque fresh in their mind, both looked at him earnestly.
His gay livery was that of Lord Rochester, and became his graceful figure well, as he marched along with a jaunty swagger, one hand on his aide, and the other toying with a beautiful little spaniel, that frisked in open violation of the Lord Mayor's orders, commanding all dogs, great and small, to be put to death as propagators of the pestilence.
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