“What?” said the Earl.  “You were very indignant, indeed, I suppose, and abused me heartily for doing the very thing that 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 this does not succeed in your hands, it is your fault.  Do you agree to every part of this as I have laid it before you?”

“Most assuredly, my lord,” replied Wilton, with eager gladness; “and I can easily show Laura now, that there is a sufficient motive for our marriage taking place so rapidly and so secretly.”