The Elopement

‘Be waiting up at the window,’ said

The note he sent by hand,

‘I’ll come and collect you at midnight,’

Said the note, ‘the way we planned.’

She heard the clatter of hoofbeats in

The courtyard down below,

And waved to him from the window

As she seized her portmanteau.

She quickly skipped down the staircase

Holding both her shoes in hand,

Trying to avoid the clatter as

She raced down to her man,

It only took but a moment then

To seat her on his horse,

And gallop out of the courtyard on

Their way to the watercourse.

A light appeared in an upper room

And they heard her father roar,

‘By God, you’ll pay for your insolence,

I told you once before.’

He’d promised her to a Banker’s clerk

Who had paid him for her hand,

Though she had said that it wouldn’t work,

She had bowed to his command.

But then the couple had plotted,

He was sworn to break her free,

‘If anyone is to marry, it

Will just be you to me.’

They headed down to the water where

The sloop, ‘The Esperance’,

Was waiting for their arrival

Before sailing off to France.

It took an hour to set the sails

And wait for the tide to turn,

They hid themselves below the deck

In a cabin at the stern,

But soon the thunder of hoofbeats said

They must have been found out,

For then they heard her father’s call,

‘It’s best that you come out,’

He ventured slowly out on the deck

To reason with the man,

Then saw the flash of the powder that

Was loaded in the pan,

The ball cut straight through his windpipe,

Left him sprawling on the deck,

While she was dragged from below, and screamed

‘All curses on your neck.’

He locked her into an attic room

And he wouldn’t let her out,

Though she would wail, and would scream at him,

And curse and yell, and shout,

She waited up till the early hours

Then she set her room alight,

The fire spread till they all were dead

From that single candlelight.

It sits as a blackened ruin now

With soot on the standing walls,

A testament to a daughter who

Refused to be overruled,

And still some nights when the moon is bright

There’s a whisper, close at hand,

‘I’ll come and collect you at midnight,

And we’ll leave, the way we planned.’

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[BlackRose]

Sorrowful tale of lovers who never got the chance to stay together. A Romeo and Juliet-sque kind of love for each other. Fully enjoyed as well, but was not expecting the ending. But that's what makes your story's worth the read.

[Pragati Chaudhary]

Nostalgic.............but beautiful

[T.S. Sky]

Sad tale for the two lovers.

[TPK Stories]

A chilling ending...I guess you can't break the bond of true love....

[Coyote Poetry]

A interesting tale with a wild ending. You are a story teller my friend. I liked the complete tale and the haunting ending. Thank you David for sharing the amazing poetry.
Coyote

[Eleanor]

Beautifully written. I thoroughly enjoyed the read

[Barbz]

Well, as I believe, and as it has been stated poetically," All the Kings Horses and All the Kings Men" and all who believe in the power of love find it a force impenetrable, yet under some circumstances, Hell on Earth. Your poetry tiptoes on both of life's mysteries. Very well done David. Barbz

[wordman]

wonderful story mr padgent