The Heir of Kilfinnan: A Tale of the Shore and Ocean

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

  When, however, Mr Finlayson's proposition was made to the fishwife, sheat first refused to agree to it, declaring that her son would recover asrapidly in the hut as he could in the castle; but on the lawyer'sassuring her that she was mistaken, she consented to let him be removedif he wished it.

  "Let me ask him then," said Mr Finlayson.

  For after Ned Davis had vacated the widow's bed, Captain Denham (for sohe must still be called) had been placed on it. In the meantime,knowing that the fresh air would benefit Lady Nora, her cousin had ledher to the front of the hut, and made her rest on a bench which wasfixed there. Sitting down by her side, she took her hand.

  "Nora," she said, "this is a strange tale we have heard. I can scarcelybelieve it. What do you think?"

  "I know not," answered Nora faintly. "But can it be possible that he(Captain Denham I mean) whom we have known so long, who is so refined,so high-born in appearance and manners, can be the son of thiswild-looking and ignorant fishwife? and yet, Sophy, she claims him asher son, and he does not deny it; and you observed that mark upon hisarm; when she saw it, all doubt vanished. Oh, Sophy, help me, guide me,advise me. What can I do? I did not know till now, when I thought himlost and then had him thus suddenly restored to life, how deeply I lovedhim. I tell you this, dear cousin, but I would not utter it to anyother human being; but what can he be to me for the future? My heart, Ifeel, will break, Sophy."

  "Trials are sent us for our good, Nora," said her cousin. "Once I mighthave thought as you do, that unless his birth was high and noble, equalto your own, no man was worthy to become your husband; but, Nora," andLady Sophy heaved a deep sigh, "I have learned to prize a true and nobleheart; and if such is his, I cannot tell you that I believe you would beright in discarding him on account of his birth. This is not worldlyadvice; but I again repeat that I believe, if he is what we have allhitherto supposed him, there is not sufficient cause to refuse him asyour husband."

  Nora threw herself into her cousin's arms.

  "Oh, thank you, thank you, dear Sophy," she exclaimed. "You are right.It was a fearful struggle; but I should have died had I been compelledto give him up. I feel how cruel, how wrong I should have been. I knowhe loves me, and what a bitter feeling it would have caused his nobleheart."

  "Then, Nora, let me go in and tell him that we beg he will come to thecastle. I am sure, that without your invitation he would not consent tobe removed there."

  "Oh, yes, do, do," exclaimed Lady Nora. "It will be dreadful for him tohave to remain here; for his poor mother would certainly not know how totake proper care of him."

  While this conversation was going on, Mr Finlayson had despatched Shaneand Ned Davis, who insisted he was now strong enough for anything,followed by Patrick, with all the ropes and spars they could collect, togo along the beach and assist in the rescue of any of the seamen whomight still have escaped drowning, and be even now reaching the shore.He himself, meantime, undertook to ascend the cliff, and send the groomback for a litter on which to carry Captain Denham to the castle. Atfirst, when the proposal was made, he declined leaving his mother's hut,and it was not till her entreaties had been joined to those of LadySophy he consented to place himself in their hands.

  "You would greatly disappoint my cousin Nora if you refuse to complywith her request," whispered Lady Sophy.

  It is possible that this remark might have settled the question.

  "But does she know who I am?" he asked in a low trembling voice.

  "Yes, yes," answered Sophy. "Do you suppose that to a true-hearted girlas she is that would make any real difference? Oh, Captain Denham, askyour own heart. Would you thus be ready to sacrifice any one youloved?"

  "May Heaven reward her," he murmured.

  His feelings seemingly overcame him, for he could say no more.

  A considerable time elapsed before the arrival of the litter. MeantimeShane and Davis, with their young companion, hastened along the shore.Several other persons having seen the wreck had now collected on thebeach. A few, fastening ropes round their waists, bravely rushed intothe surf to assist in dragging the floating men on shore. Some,however, it was very clear, were more eager to obtain any articles ofvalue that might be washed up than to save human life. Many were thusemployed when Shane and Davis appeared. Several persons were seenclinging to the masses of wreck, which, after having been tossed aboutfor a considerable time in the bay, were now being washed ashore. Theglitter upon the jackets of two of them showed that they were officers,and several persons, as they drifted near, rushed into the water toassist them, so it seemed. They brought them safely up the beach, butno sooner were they there, than, instead of rendering them furtherassistance, they began to rifle their pockets, and to take their watchesand the rings from their fingers. Davis caught sight of them as theywere thus so eagerly employed, as not to observe his approach. Hedashed forward, and with a blow of a broken spar which he had seized, heknocked aside two of the wreckers, and so ably did he wield it, that heput the rest to flight before they could secure their booty. Therescued officers were two midshipmen of the ship, and their firstinquiry was for their commander.

  "He is all safe, sirs," exclaimed Davis. "Heaven be praised for it, buthe was very nearly gone; however, it will not be long, I hope, before heis well again. It has been sad work; not a third, I fear, of our poorfellows have come on shore."

  "Not so many, I am afraid," observed one of the midshipmen; "however,now we are safe ourselves, let us try to help others."

  Several of the better disposed of the people now joined themselves toShane, and prevented the wreckers from continuing their barbarousproceedings. A raft approached near the beach, and though perhaps noneon it would have been saved, had they not had assistance, by the aid ofthe strong body of men who rushed into the water, all were safely landedbefore it had the opportunity of turning over upon them. Many deadbodies were cast ashore, and they were gradually collected and placedside by side. There were officers and men, and several poor boys, and afew of the marines. The survivors were undecided what to do when MrJamieson, who, hearing of the wreck, had come down to the beach, invitedthem to the vicarage, and the bodies of the drowned were conveyed by hisdirection to the church. Before the shipwrecked men had proceeded fartowards the vicarage, a messenger overtook them, from Mr Finlayson,with a request that they would all come to the castle, to which theircaptain was now on his way. Every preparation was made for theirreception. The medical man of the neighbourhood was also sent for, thathe might attend to the captain and others who might have been injured.Fortunately, the surgeon of the frigate had also escaped, and he was atonce able to look to the captain's wound. Lady Nora felt a strangesatisfaction at having all those belonging to the frigate thus collectedbeneath her roof. She had a trial to undergo; it was when at length theWidow O'Neil desired to speak to her.

  "Oh, Lady Nora," exclaimed the old woman, "I have discovered what Ilittle thought of. My bonnie son loves you, lady. It may bepresumption on his part, and it makes me feel more and more that I amnot worthy to be his mother, but I am, believe me, his true mother. Itseems strange that the son of one like me should thus have gained such aname as he has, but there is one thing I would tell you, lady, I know mydays are numbered. You will not have the old fishwife as your mother;if I thought so, I would gladly take myself away where you would neversee or hear of me more. I would not stand between you and my son forall the world can give. You will not send him from you, lady?"

  "Oh, do not speak thus, Mistress O'Neil," exclaimed Nora, rising fromher seat and taking the widow's hands in hers. "I do not deny that Ilove your son, for long I have done so, though only this day have Idiscovered how deeply I loved him. My delight and satisfaction will beto save you from any further toil and trouble. You have ever proved aloving mother to him, and it shall be our united happiness to care foryou, and to shield you from all the troubles and hardships to which youhave been so long exposed. We will
have a suitable house prepared foryou and your brave brother Shane and his son, where you may live incomfort without toiling any more on the treacherous ocean."

  "You speak like a true and noble girl," exclaimed the widow, "and nowthere is a secret I have got to tell you. If my son had not beenrestored to me, it should never have passed my lips, but I have long hadin my keeping some papers, preserved in an iron case. It has beenhidden under the floor of my hut, for I believe there are those whowould deprive me of them if they knew where they are. Alas, I could notread them myself, but he who has gone, the father of my boy, bade mecarefully keep them. To-morrow, lady, if that good gentleman who iswith you, will come with the steward to assist him, I will place thecase in his hands. If you had not confessed to me what you have nowdone, that my son is dear to you, I believe the contents of that boxwould have caused you much annoyance and pain, but now I feel it willonly make you glad."

  Lady Nora would thankfully have obtained more information from MistressO'Neil, but she either would not or could not give it.

  "In a few days I trust, in God's mercy, my son will have recovered, andthen it may be time enough for you to examine the papers in the case,"she answered. It was with difficulty that the old woman could bepersuaded to occupy a room in the castle. She consented, however, to doso, when Shane promised to return to the hut and take charge of it tillthe next day.

  The following morning Mr Finlayson set forth accompanied by MrsO'Neil, for her cottage. Shane was watching for them. The widow senthim for a spade, and some minutes were employed in digging, before thepromised box was discovered, so deeply down in the earth had she hid it.

  "Ah," she observed, as her brother was working, "it was Father O'Rourkewho had an idea of this case, and I could not tell what use he mightmake of it, if he ever got hold of it, and he who has gone charged menever to let it pass out of my hands."

  At length an iron case was brought to light, which Mr Finlaysonattempted eagerly to open.

  "I have never seen the inside of it," observed the widow, "and I do notknow either how to get at it; but don't look at it here, Mr Finlayson,carry it to the castle, where you may look into it at your leisure."

  Mistress O'Neil having a few arrangements to make before leaving herhut, promised to follow Mr Finlayson to the castle. The lawyer, on hisarrival, after examining the case for some time, not unaccustomed to thevarious devices employed for such purposes, discovered the spring bywhich it was opened. The whole evening was employed by him in lookingover the documents with which it was filled, but he declined for thepresent to explain their contents to Lady Nora, assuring her that theywere somewhat complicated, and that unless he had examined themthoroughly, he might mislead those whom they chiefly concerned. To noone else, indeed, did he divulge their contents for several days; bythat time Captain Denham was once more able to appear in public.Several guests had been invited to the castle, Mr Jamieson and hisniece being among them. They were all assembled in the drawing-room,when the lawyer, as the captain entered the apartment, went up to him,and in a significant manner, took him by the hand.

  "I have to congratulate you, my dear lord, on obtaining a rank of whichyou are--"

  "Do you address me?" exclaimed Captain Denham with surprise. "What, mydear sir, do you mean? You do not intend to mock me!"

  "I mean that you are the lawful Earl of Kilfinnan," answered the lawyerin a positive tone, as if his word had been called in question."Although the elder members of your family were deprived of the right toassume the title, as long as another branch existed, I have sufficientevidence to prove that in your generation the attainder has beenremoved. Your father, the husband of the devoted woman whom you havealways known as your mother--as she truly is--was, while living in thecharacter of a fisherman, drowned off this coast. He was the grandsonof the former Earl."

  Captain Denham, or rather the new Earl of Kilfinnan, cast a glance,beaming with happiness and satisfaction, towards Lady Nora.

  "Yes, indeed our kind friend, Mr Finlayson, is not mistaken," she said,taking his hand, "and though you know full well, my dear lord, that hadit been otherwise, I had promised to become your wife, yet I rejoice toknow that you can feel yourself with regard to rank in every respect myequal."

  It is not necessary to describe the happy marriage which afterwards tookplace. The Widow O'Neil enjoyed the comfort and luxuries which had beenprepared for her by her affectionate children but for a few months. Hernervous system had received a shock it never recovered, in the exertionsshe made in rescuing her son, but she had the satisfaction of knowingthat she had saved his life, and that he was restored to the positionhis ancestors had enjoyed. He did not neglect his noble friend, NedDavis, who continued, as before, his constant attendant, and ultimately,when he gave up the sea and came to live on shore, rose to the rank ofhis head bailiff. Mr Jamieson and the kind-hearted lawyer both livedto an old age, and soon after her uncle was removed from her, his blindniece was laid to rest in the churchyard by his side.

  Father O'Rourke went plotting and scheming on to the end of his days,and if he did not die in the odour of sanctity, having partaken of allthe rites of his Church, no qualms of conscience that he had not exactlyfulfilled the duties of a missionary of the gospel, seem to havedisturbed his last hours.

  FINIS.