"
At this moment Randal entered the apartment, with a look so much
perturbed, that the Lady Fleming uttered a faint scream, the Queen was
obviously startled, and the Lady of Lochleven, though too bold and
proud to evince any marked signs of alarm, asked hastily what was the
matter?
"Dryfesdale has been slain, madam," was the reply; "murdered as soon
as he gained the dry land by young Master Henry Seyton."
It was now Catherine's turn to start and grow pale--"Has the murderer
of the Douglas's vassal escaped?" was the Lady's hasty question.
"There was none to challenge him but old Keltie, and the carrier
Auchtermuchty," replied Randal; "unlikely men to stay one of the
frackest [Footnote: Boldest--most forward.] youths in Scotland of his
years, and who was sure to have friends and partakers at no great
distance."
"Was the deed completed?" said the Lady.
"Done, and done thoroughly," said Randal; "a Seyton seldom strikes
twice--But the body was not despoiled, and your honour's packet goes
forward to Edinburgh by Auchtermuchty, who leaves Keltie-Bridge early
to-morrow--marry, he has drunk two bottles of aquavitae to put the
fright out of his head, and now sleeps them off beside his
cart-avers." [Footnote: Cart-horses.]
There was a pause when this fatal tale was told. The Queen and Lady
Douglas looked on each other, as if each thought how she could best
turn the incident to her own advantage in the controversy, which was
continually kept alive betwixt them--Catherine Seyton kept her
kerchief at her eyes and wept.
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