However, since the risk was imminent, all the persons assembled in the court-yard, or on the terrace in front of the house, including the servants, men and women, were ordered to withdraw at once to a certain distance from the burning mansion.
The order was promptly obeyed. Everybody hurried off, and they had only just reached a place of safety when a tremendous explosion took place, completely destroying the house, scattering the burning fragments in every direction, and seeming to shake the very ground.
A grand, but terrible sight, it powerfully affected all the beholders. Lord Derby, who with Sir Edward Mosley, Sir Thomas Tyldesley, and the others, was standing at a distance, expressed his great concern.
“You will now have to seek a lodging elsewhere, my lord,” observed Sir Edward Mosley.
“Come with me to Ordsall,” said Sir Alexander Radcliffe.
“No, I shall not leave the spot,” rejoined the earl, in a sombre voice. “As soon as it is dark I will attack the town.”
“I am glad to hear it,” remarked Sir Thomas Tyldesley.
The destruction of Alport Lodge was witnessed with exultation from the walls, where, as we have said, a great number of the townspeople were now gathered. Their rejoicing found expression in a hymn, in which so many voices joined, that it reached the ears of the Royalists.
Amongst those on the walls was Rosworm. But he was greatly troubled. His beloved daughter had disappeared, and no doubt had been carried off as a prisoner.
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XVII
Whither Gertrude was taken
NEXT morning, as soon as it became light, the blackened ruins of the fine old hall presented a dismal spectacle, and inspired all the Royalists who gazed upon them with a fierce desire of vengeance.
Soon afterwards, the ordnance at the battery began to play upon the town, and the firing was continued without intermission for nearly three hours, but without doing any material damage.
An attack was likewise made by the Earl of Derby in person on the battery at the end of Deans-gate, but the defence of Captain Bradshaw and his men was so determined that an entrance could not be gained, and the earl, to his great mortification, was compelled to retire.
Sir Thomas Tyldesley attacked the barrier in Market-street Lane, but with equal ill success, and the constant attempts by the Royalist soldiers to scale the walls at various points, resulted in failure.
The same ill fortune attended Lord Molineux and Sir John Girlington in Salford. The bridge was so stoutly defended by Rosworm that they could not cross it, and sustained heavy loss in the attempt.
Finding that no impression could be made upon the town, and apprehensive that another sortie might be made at night by Captain Bradshaw, Lord Derby caused a deep trench to be digged at the end of Deansgate, and though the engineers were protected by a large party of musketeers, three or four were shot before the work could be completed.
During the greater part of the morning, Frank Standish had been so much occupied that he had no time to attend to the prisoners, but committed their charge to a sergeant, by whom they were placed in a farm-house, about a quarter of a mile off, a guard being stationed near the building to prevent their escape.
Later in the day, Standish rode to this farmhouse, and dismounting at the door entered the building.
While he was looking about, the farmer’s wife, a middle-aged woman, came to him, and said:
“We have made a strange discovery. One of the prisoners who was brought from the town last night proves to be a young damsel.”
Standish uttered an exclamation of surprise.
“What is more, pursued the woman, she is the daughter of Colonel Rosworm, the German engineer, who has fortified the town. My daughter Joan recognised her at once.”
“This is strange, indeed!” cried Standish. “Where is she?”
“In an inner room,” replied the woman. “Joan is with her. She persuaded her to lay aside her soldier’s dress she had put on, and has lent her a gown that fits her exactly.”
“Take me to her at once, I pray you,” said Standish.