فصل 12

CHAPTER twelve

The Tables Are Turned

That same night we reached Glasgow. I returned to my inn, where Andrew himself came to open the door.

Owen appeared behind him with another man - it was my father!

“My dear, dear son!” he said, embracing me.

We were overjoyed to see one another. He told me that he had come to Scotland to capture Rashleigh and to put his affairs in order. My father asked Bailie Jarvie to be his firm’s correspondent in Glasgow and we decided to return to London.

On the morning of our departure, Andrew Fairservice came to my room like a mad man, jumping up and down with excitement and told me that the long-awaited rebellion of the Highlanders in favour of the Old Pretender, King James, was beginning. Rob Roy and his men were on their way to Glasgow!

In the troubled times that followed my Osbaldistone cousins fought for the Jacobite cause and, one after the other, all perished. My uncle, Sir Hildebrand, passed away in a Hanoverian prison. They say he died of sorrow.

After his death I learned from Judge Inglewood that Sir Hildebrand had left all his property to me in the event of his sons’ deaths.

He had cancelled Rashleigh from his will because of his support of the Hanoverians, whom my uncle hated. I was now the heir to Osbaldistone Hall - I had inherited everything! The judge also revealed to me that the man they called “His Excellency” was really Diana’s father, Sir Frederick Vernon. He had lived in secret at Osbaldistone Hall for many years and only Sir Hildebrand, Diana and Rashleigh knew his secret. I was shocked to hear this information but at the same time I was pleased. The strange man Diana often met in the library was her father, not her husband - she wasn’t married after all!

The next morning I set out for Osbaldistone Hall with Andrew. When we arrived, the house had a very different aspect from the last time I had seen it. It was silent and solitary, the doors and windows were closed, the grass in the courtyards was long, the gardens neglected - a sharp contrast to the lively, bustling atmosphere of some months ago. Andrew knocked at every door of the building and finally my uncle’s ancient major-domo, appeared. He seemed very agitated and, when I asked him to light a fire in the library, he was reluctant. I soon understood why! As I waited there, I heard a deep sigh behind me and turned to see Diana Vernon standing there with her father. “We beg you to help us, Mr Osbaldistone,” Sir Frederick said. “To give us refuge. I am a convinced Catholic, I took part in the rebellion in favour of King James, but I was obliged to flee.

I am hiding here at Osbaldistone Hall with my daughter, waiting for a boat to take us to the Continent.”

I invited them to remain for as long as they needed but I was very agitated. That night there was a violent knocking at the gate - there were soldiers outside. They demanded to enter.

They had orders to arrest Sir Vernon on a charge of treason.

Diana appeared beside me. She whispered “Danger is familiar to us, Frank. Don’t be afraid. We will escape into the garden and then into the wood. Dear, dear Frank, farewell!” I heard Andrew shouting. With the soldiers there was a magistrate with a legal mandate accompanied by - Rashleigh! They went at once to the library but it was already empty - Diana and her father had fled. They ran into the gardens and caught the fugitives at the gate. It seemed all was lost but then, as the escort party was leaving with their prisoners, they found a barricade at the Hall gates.

A group of Highlanders barred the way with their cattle. Rashleigh’s men were trying to drive the cattle away, when suddenly the leader of the Highlanders cried “Claymore!” It was an ambush prepared by Rob Roy! There was a desperate fight. The soldiers fled and Rashleigh was badly wounded.

“Ask pardon for your treason in the name of God, King James and our old friendship,” cried Rob Roy, his sword at Rashleigh’s throat.

“Never!” replied Rashleigh, firmly.

“Then, traitor, die for your treason!” cried Rob and passed his sword through his enemy’s body. He was still breathing when we brought him to the Hall. His last words were for me: “The pangs of death do not alter my feelings towards you, Frank Osbaldistone - I hate you with an immense hatred!”

And then he died.

Diana and her father escaped and took the boat to France. I returned to London to work in my fathers company. After some time, my anxiety to learn the fate of Miss Vernon became acute and I embarked for France. There, after many adventures, I found her and married her. We have lived happily together since that day.