“Here is the lady, sir,” said Plessis, entering, and addressing Wilton.  “I will go down stairs and see that all is safe below.”

“He will not let the man out of the cellar?” demanded Wilton, as Plessis departed.

“I have taken care of that,” replied the Captain, holding up a key; “but let us not lose time.”

While these few words were passing, Lady Helen and Laura entered, the latter, pale, agitated, and trembling, less with actual apprehension than from all she had lately undergone.  At that moment, she knew not with whom she was going, or what was the manner of escape proposed.  All that the Lady Helen had told her was, that somebody had come to set her free, and that she must instantly prepare to depart.  She had paused but for an instant, while the lady who brought her these glad tidings wrapped round her some of the garments which had been procured for her journey to France, by those who had carried her off; and all the agitation consequent upon a sudden revival of hopes that had been well nigh extinguished was still busy in her bosom, when, as we have said, she entered the room.

The first object, however, which her eye fell upon was the fine commanding form of Wilton Brown.  It were scarcely fair to ask whether, in the long and weary hours of captivity, she had thought much of him.  But one thing at least may be told, that with him, and with a hurried and timid examination of the feelings of her own bosom regarding him, her thoughts had been busied at the very moment when she had been dragged away from her own home.  The sight of him, however, now, was both joyful and overpowering to her; the very idea of deliverance had been sufficient to agitate her, so that she shook in every limb as she entered the room; but when she saw in her deliverer the man whom, of all others, she would have chosen to protect her, manifold emotions, of a still more agitating kind, were added to all the rest.  But joy—­joy and increased hope—­overcame all other feelings, and stretching out her hands towards him, she ran forward as he advanced to meet her, and clung with a look of deep confidence and gladness to his arm.

“Do not be frightened, do not be agitated,” he said—­“all will go quite well.  Are you prepared to quit this place immediately?”

“Oh yes, yes, instantly!” she cried; but then her eyes turned upon Lord Sherbrooke, and the sight of him in company with Wilton seemed to cloud her happiness; for though she still looked up to Wilton’s countenance with the same affectionate and confiding glance, yet there was evidently a degree of apprehension in her countenance, when, for a moment, she turned her eyes to Lord Sherbrooke.  She bowed her head gracefully to him, however, and uttered some broken thanks to him and to Wilton, for coming to her deliverance.

“Pardon me, dear Lady Laura,” replied Lord Sherbrooke.  “I must accept no part of your thanks, for my being here is entirely accidental, and I cannot even offer to escort you on your departure.  It is Wilton who has sought you bravely and perseveringly, and I doubt not you will go with him with perfect confidence.”