she was in Dublin dance every night? Did I not go to ball after ball just for the pleasure of seeing her?’
‘Those light moods have passed,’ murmured Pamela, with a touch of sullenness. ‘I have a child now. The truth is, I suppose, I am a little weary of the world.’ Then she broke into sudden smiles and glanced, as if pleading for an excuse, at Mr. Sheares, ‘Oh, sir, forgive me, but when you have been in the midst of great affairs since you were a child and been through those hideous days in France and seen so many you knew and loved taken from you by violent death, why, then you grow a little frightened. You want a little cottage like this, I suppose, and nothing else.’
‘Believe me, Madame, it is to preserve such homes as this and such women as yourself that I and all patriots labour.’
CHAPTER 2
For the rest of the meal they talked on other matters. Shortly after, Mr. Sheares took his leave, refusing to discuss any more politics with Lord Edward. In the pretty, sunny room, however, he left a bundle of papers, ‘which related,’ he said gravely, ‘the numerous activities and designs of the United Irishmen.’
So completely did Mr. Sheares trust Lord Edward that he gave him these papers of the highest importance without even cautioning him as to the peril there might be in disclosing them to anyone through accident or misfortune.
As soon as their handsome guest had gone (he had left his horse in Kildare to avoid any impression of a formal visit to Lord Edward) Pamela turned quickly to her husband.
‘What are you going to be involved in now? I behaved as well as I could. I was not discourteous, was I? But why must he come here to disturb us?’
‘Hush, my darling, you must not distress yourself. I already knew almost all he said, but I suppose’ — the young man frowned with the difficulty of expressing himself — ‘well, all these other men have ventured a good deal, you see, and I suppose they think I should, also my principles are known.’
‘So should your circumstances be!’
‘They also,’ he replied, troubled, ‘most of them, at least, have wives and children, dear enough to them, Pamela!’
Surprised by his unexpected seriousness, for she had hoped that he would laugh away the visit of the serious, proud Mr. Sheares, she ran to him and clung to his arm:
‘You’re not really considering joining them?’
‘My dear Pamela, there’s nothing in joining them. Every Irishman worth the name belongs to them already; as for it being illegal, there is nothing in that — I’m in no danger. Why, even Clare, who is the most English of any in the Government, is my friend. Nothing and no one could touch me whatever I did.’
Pamela did not feel this confidence. She shook her head:
‘I heard M. d’Orléans say something like that. He too, was very certain he was safe, and what was the end of it?’
‘All that was so different, Pamela, I am almost ashamed to think how safe I am, besides they do not mean any dangerous intrigue —’
She interrupted quickly:
‘I heard that man talk of a descent on the part of the French!’
‘Ah, that is Mr. Tone’s work. He is a remarkable man, full of implacable energy, a great patriot. He has been working for years at that project, and may achieve it yet —’
‘Bah, you are trying to evade me, Edward. You know well enough that if there was a French invasion all concerned in it would be considered as traitors!’
‘No, no, Pamela, you must not think such things. You see, I have agitated you for nothing, I would you had not seen Sheares.’
‘Would you had not seen him, darling.’
Deeply distressed, he begged her to be calm. Tears were running down her face and she sobbed as she leant against his shoulder. When she had first come to Dublin she had led what had seemed to many a life of thoughtless gaiety for one whose adopted father had lately been guillotined, and whose adopted brothers and sisters were imprisoned or in
‘Those light moods have passed,’ murmured Pamela, with a touch of sullenness. ‘I have a child now. The truth is, I suppose, I am a little weary of the world.’ Then she broke into sudden smiles and glanced, as if pleading for an excuse, at Mr. Sheares, ‘Oh, sir, forgive me, but when you have been in the midst of great affairs since you were a child and been through those hideous days in France and seen so many you knew and loved taken from you by violent death, why, then you grow a little frightened. You want a little cottage like this, I suppose, and nothing else.’
‘Believe me, Madame, it is to preserve such homes as this and such women as yourself that I and all patriots labour.’
CHAPTER 2
For the rest of the meal they talked on other matters. Shortly after, Mr. Sheares took his leave, refusing to discuss any more politics with Lord Edward. In the pretty, sunny room, however, he left a bundle of papers, ‘which related,’ he said gravely, ‘the numerous activities and designs of the United Irishmen.’
So completely did Mr. Sheares trust Lord Edward that he gave him these papers of the highest importance without even cautioning him as to the peril there might be in disclosing them to anyone through accident or misfortune.
As soon as their handsome guest had gone (he had left his horse in Kildare to avoid any impression of a formal visit to Lord Edward) Pamela turned quickly to her husband.
‘What are you going to be involved in now? I behaved as well as I could. I was not discourteous, was I? But why must he come here to disturb us?’
‘Hush, my darling, you must not distress yourself. I already knew almost all he said, but I suppose’ — the young man frowned with the difficulty of expressing himself — ‘well, all these other men have ventured a good deal, you see, and I suppose they think I should, also my principles are known.’
‘So should your circumstances be!’
‘They also,’ he replied, troubled, ‘most of them, at least, have wives and children, dear enough to them, Pamela!’
Surprised by his unexpected seriousness, for she had hoped that he would laugh away the visit of the serious, proud Mr. Sheares, she ran to him and clung to his arm:
‘You’re not really considering joining them?’
‘My dear Pamela, there’s nothing in joining them. Every Irishman worth the name belongs to them already; as for it being illegal, there is nothing in that — I’m in no danger. Why, even Clare, who is the most English of any in the Government, is my friend. Nothing and no one could touch me whatever I did.’
Pamela did not feel this confidence. She shook her head:
‘I heard M. d’Orléans say something like that. He too, was very certain he was safe, and what was the end of it?’
‘All that was so different, Pamela, I am almost ashamed to think how safe I am, besides they do not mean any dangerous intrigue —’
She interrupted quickly:
‘I heard that man talk of a descent on the part of the French!’
‘Ah, that is Mr. Tone’s work. He is a remarkable man, full of implacable energy, a great patriot. He has been working for years at that project, and may achieve it yet —’
‘Bah, you are trying to evade me, Edward. You know well enough that if there was a French invasion all concerned in it would be considered as traitors!’
‘No, no, Pamela, you must not think such things. You see, I have agitated you for nothing, I would you had not seen Sheares.’
‘Would you had not seen him, darling.’
Deeply distressed, he begged her to be calm. Tears were running down her face and she sobbed as she leant against his shoulder. When she had first come to Dublin she had led what had seemed to many a life of thoughtless gaiety for one whose adopted father had lately been guillotined, and whose adopted brothers and sisters were imprisoned or in
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