At this time, we began to hear strange stories in the village. King
Charles II had no children, and he wanted his brother, James, to
be king after his death. People said that some men in this part of
the country were against James and were preparing to fight
against him. When I heard this, I remembered Judge Jeffreys's
words. I said nothing, but I was afraid of what might happen.
One evening I had a long talk with Annie. I knew that she was
in love with Tom Faggus. She hoped that he would ask her to
marry him.
'Be careful,' I said. 'Tom's a highwayman!'
'And what are the Doones?' Annie said. 'Aren't they
highwaymen too? But you love one of them.'
I was very surprised. 'How did you know?' I asked.
'I didn't know,' she answered. 'I only guessed it from some
things you've said. And I knew that you went to the Doone
valley to see someone. Now I know it's true.'
I told Annie all about my love for Lorna, but I did not tell my
29
mother, because the Doones had killed my father. I was afraid she
would be very angry.
On my last visit to Lorna, I had promised not to go to the valley
for two months. When the eight weeks ended, I climbed up there
again. But although I waited until the moon came up, Lorna did
not come.
I went again the next day with a present of fish and eggs,
which I put in a little bed of grass near the edge of the water. As 1
was putting them there, I saw a man coming slowly down the
valley. I quickly hid behind a tree. The man came nearer, and I
saw that his face was cold and cruel.
He came to the edge of the water and saw the eggs and fish.
'So!' he cried angrily, 'Charlie's leaving presents here
for Lorna!'
The man's face became black with anger, and I guessed that he
was Carver Doone. This was the man who wanted to marry
Lorna! He took the fish and the eggs and went away. I waited,
but Lorna did not come. All the beauty of the evening had gone.
The next day I went to the valley again, and waited near the
entrance to Lorna's secret place. Suddenly there was the sound of
a gun. The shot went through my hat and carried it off my head.
The hat fell into the water and was carried away over the
waterfall. Shaking with fear, I quickly hid behind a rock.
Carver came out from behind some bushes and ran to the edge
of the waterfall. He stood within a few feet of where I was hiding.
'Have I killed you, Charlie?' he shouted. 'This is the third
time that I've shot at you.'
He went away laughing, and I laughed too — silently. I felt sure
that one day I would fight Carver Doone and win Lorna from him.
30
That evening, our servant, Betty, made strange signs to me,
then came and whispered in my ear, 'Lorna Doone'. I quickly
followed her out of the house.
When we got outside she said, 'I have a message for you from
Lorna Doone. Her servant brought it. Lorna can't meet you in
the evenings. Go to the valley in the morning.'
Of course, I was up the next morning before the October
sunrise. I climbed up into the valley while the first light of
morning was coming over the hills. Winter was near, and the
trees and bushes were touched with red and gold. At last I stood
at the top of the rock. I looked up the valley and saw Lorna. She
looked glad to see me, and this made me happy.
'At last you've come, John!' she cried. 'They've kept me
prisoner in my house every evening.'
I followed her into her hiding-place in the rocks. Lorna started
to speak of the difficulties and dangers of her life, but I said softly,
'That isn't what I want to hear.'
'What do you mean?' she said, pretending not to understand
me.
'Do you love me?' I asked.
'I love you,' she said. 'But how does that help us ? My life is
too dangerous. We can never marry. It can never happen - never.'
I went home that day feeling happy and sad. When I got
home, I found Tom Faggus there; he had come to tell my mother
that he wanted to marry Annie.
That same day, I told my mother about Lorna. She understood
and accepted my feelings, and that made me very happy.