After awhile, Brigadier Honeywood caused the windows of the two large mansions, just mentioned, to be brilliantly lighted up, and the illumination revealed every person in the street, and exposed them to the musketeers; but he soon found this told against himself, for the marksmen were quickly discovered and driven from their position, while the windows were broken by showers of bullets.
In the evening a council of war was held at the Mitre, but nothing was determined upon, except that a vigilant watch should be kept throughout the night, and a determined defence maintained on the morrow.
General Forster took very little part in the discussion, and complained bitterly that Brigadier Mackintosh had disobeyed his orders.
“I suppose it was through my fault, general, that the two large houses in Church-street were lost?” remarked the brigadier.
“Undoubtedly,” replied Forster.
“Well, then, I’ll repair my fault,” said Mackintosh; “for as I’m a living man, I’ll demolish them baith, or burn them to the ground to-morrow.”
“In defiance of my orders?” cried Forster.
“In defiance of anybody’s orders,” rejoined Mackintosh.
“Let us have no disputes, I pray,” interposed Lord Widdrington. “We have every reason to be satisfied with the result of the day.”
“So confident am I of success,” said Mackintosh, “that I am about to write to the Earl of Mar that I expect to gain a victory over General Wills tomorrow. A battle is imminent between his lordship and the Duke of Argyle, and may possibly take place to-morrow. If so, and success should attend our arms both at Stirling and Preston, the Jacobite cause must be triumphant.”
“Heaven grant it may!” cried several voices.
After a little further discourse, the council broke up, some proceeding to an adjoining room where supper was laid out, and others returning to their posts.
Only three persons were left in the room. These were Lord Derwentwater, General Forster, and Captain Douglas.
The earl had told the others that he wished to confer with them.
“I trust all will go well to-morrow,” he said; “indeed, I do not doubt it. Still I feel the greatest anxiety respecting the countess.”
“I do not wonder at it, my lord,” remarked Forster. “I am just as anxious about my sister. Would we could get them both safely out of the town-but I fear it is impossible to do so now, since all the avenues are guarded.”
“I will insure their escape from the Fishergate barrier, of which I have the command,” said Captain Douglas. “But the attempt must not be made before midnight. By crossing the ford, they will be able to gain the Liverpool road. Will the ladies be alone?”
“They will be attended by my chaplain, Father Norman, and my butler, Newbiggin,” replied Lord Derwentwater. “I shall not send my grooms with them, unless General Forster desires it.”
“No, no!” cried Forster. “The fewer the better.”
“Of course, the party will be on horseback?” said Douglas. “I will conduct them to the ford- but there I must leave them.”
“That will suffice,” said the earl. “And I shall be eternally obliged to you for the service.”
“And so shall I,” said Forster.
“At midnight, then, I should be fully prepared,” said Douglas.
With this, he and Forster joined the others at supper in the next room, while Lord Derwentwater proceeded to the town-hall.
When they were informed of the arrangements made for their flight, the countess and Dorothy seemed dissatisfied rather than pleased, but the earl was quite resolved upon their departure.
“There is no telling what the morrow may bring forth,” he said. “And if fortune should prove adverse, I should bitterly reproach myself for allowing you to remain. Go you must.”
All arrangements having been made, Dorothy retired, and the earl and countess were left alone together.
For some minutes they both remained silent. The earl then spoke:
“I hope we may meet again at Dilston as in former days,” he said. “But I have great misgivings. To-morrow will decide. We shall then either be victorious, or utterly defeated, and prisoners, for we are shut up in this town. In the latter event I well know what my fate will be, and I confess that I cannot shake off a dread presentiment that it will happen.”