And now, what is your plan?"
"The only part of my plan that is settled is to bring her here and
marry her. After that I shall have horses ready, and we will ride
by unfrequented roads to Malaga or some other port and take a
passage in a ship sailing say to Italy, for there is no chance of
getting a vessel hence to England. Once in Italy there will be no
difficulty in getting a passage to England. I have with me a young
Englishman, as staunch a friend as one can need. I need not tell
you all about how I became acquainted with him; but he is as anxious
to get out of Spain as I am, and that is saying no little."
"It seems rather a vague plan, Gerald. There is sure to be a great
hue and cry as soon as the young lady is found to be missing. The
marquis is a man of great influence, and the authorities will use
every effort to enable him to discover her."
"You see, Denis, they will have no reason for supposing that I have
had any hand in the matter, and therefore no special watch will
be set at the ports. The duenna for her own sake is not likely to
say a word about any passages she may have observed between us at
Madrid, and she is unaware that there have been any communications
with her since."
"I suppose you will at once put on disguises, Gerald."
"Yes, that will of course be the first thing."
"If you dress her as a young peasant woman of the better class and
yourself as a small cultivator, I will mention to my servant that
I am expecting my newly married niece and her husband to stay
with me for a few days.
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