Georgette Heyer (52 page)

  'I know not why he should, for I gave him no such assurance,' said Wilmot, with one of his haughty looks.

  'Then where is he to go?' asked Phelips.

  Tom Gounter removed his pipe from his mouth to say in his slow way: 'You will not bring him here, my lord, will you? For I have not opened to my brother in-law the real reason of your coming here, and he knows nothing of the King's being at hand. George! Do you think the King would stand in any danger at Lawrence Hyde's house?'

'No,' said the Colonel wearily.

  A flush mounted to Wilmot's cheeks. 'It is to no purpose, think what you will! I would remind you, gentlemen, that it is I who am responsible for his Majesty's safety! Some other house must be found for him.'

  'I will take order to it,' said the Colonel, finding that three expectant pairs of eyes were turned towards him.

  'Yes, my dear sir, but do you know of any secure house? Have you any in mind?' persisted Wilmot.

  The Colonel's eyes watered with his efforts to suppress a yawn: his sudden smile dawned. 'To tell you the truth, my lord,' he confessed, 'at this present I have nothing in mind but a longing for my bed.'

  'Ay, and small blame to you!' said Phelips, folding the map, and stowing it away in his pocket. 'Look ye, my lord: we are using our good friend mighty scurvily! As well go rabbit-hunting with a dead ferret as call upon a man that has not had above eight hours' sleep in four nights to do your thinking for you! Go you between sheets, Gounter! I have it all pat, and will look for you to meet us in the neighbourhood of Warnford, as agreed.'

  Wilmot looked dissatisfied, but it was evident that Colonel Gounter could scarcely keep himself awake, so he was forced to allow him to go up to bed, and to trust that when he was rested he would be able to think of some house where the King could lie in safety.

  His trust was not misplaced. The Colonel slept like a log until it was almost dusk next day, but when he did come downstairs he looked perfectly refreshed, and was ready to bend his mind to any problem which my lord chose to put to him.

  'Was I abominably stupid last night?' he asked apologetically. 'I could hardly hold my eyes open. But I do remember that you asked me if I could find a safe resting-place for the King hereabouts.'

  'Yes, for I would not have him venture to Mr Hyde's,' replied Wilmot. 'Beyond all else, his is too great a house for security.'

  'If he would be content with quite a small house, I think I can escort him to one where he will neither be known nor looked for,' said the Colonel. 'But it is not such a house as he has been used to stay in, my lord, being the home of one who is but a yeoman.'

  'My dear sir, he will not care a fig for that! Where is this house?'

  'At Hambledon, not three miles from here. It belongs to my brother-in-law, one Thomas Symons, that married my sister Ursula.'

  'It is the very thing!' Wilmot declared. 'But you can trust him? Are you sure of him?'

  'I daresay I might trust him, for he is a very honest man, but it is not my intention to put him to the test,' replied the Colonel coolly. 'I think I know how I may contrive to take the King there without Symons's knowing him for any other than plain William Jackson.'

  Upon the following day, which was Monday, 13th October, the Colonel's energies, throughout the morning, were directed towards keeping my lord from riding to meet the King long before there could be any possibility of his being within twenty miles of him. Wilmot was thrown into a fret of anxiety, and spent his time looking at his watch, blaming himself for having allowed Phelips to go alone to fetch the King from Heale, and urging the Colonel to ride to Hambledon to arrange for the King's sleeping there that night.

  Gounter, while appreciating, with ready sympathy, the thousand dreads that made my lord so importu nate, refused to swerve from the agreed course. 'Only trust me, my lord!' he said. 'Indeed, I know what I am about.'

  'Yes, yes, I know you do!' Wilmot replied remorse fully. 'Do not heed me! Can my watch be right? I am certain it must be later!'

  'What the pox ails this fellow you have brought into my house?' demanded Anthony Brown of his brother in-law. 'He's like a frog on a chopping-block!'

  'Well,' said Tom Gounter, 'he is anxious to be gone. You know I told you he has had his finger in the pie that was baked at Worcester.'

  'Then I wish he would be gone, for he frets me more than a louse in the bosom!' said Brown, with some asperity.

  But it was not until they had eaten their dinner that Colonel Gounter would permit my lord to call for his horse. He consigned him then to Tom Gounter's care, instructing Tom to lead him up on to Warnford Downs, and himself rode ahead to his sister's house.

  Hambledon lay in a cup of the hills two miles from Hinton Daubnay. Mr Thomas Symons's house was a little way from the timbered cottages that constituted the village, and was a comfortable manor, standing in its own neat, though small demesne. When the Colonel rode up to the door, his sister, who had seen his approach from an upper window, came out to meet him, her sleeves rolled up (for she had been busy in her stillroom), and an apron covering her stuff gown.

  'Come you in, George, come you in!' she cried, holding out her hands to him. 'It is a weary while since you have been able to visit me! Is your parole taken off ? Are you free at last?'

  He dismounted, and kissed her cheek. 'Ay, I have com pounded with the Commissioners, and am enlarged. How do you go on, sister? Is your good-man well?'

  'Very well, but as ill-luck would have it he is gone to Portsmouth, and I don't expect him back till supper time. But come in, George, and tell me how Kate does, and the children?'

  'All well. But I may not remain with you at this present, for Tom Gounter and some other gentlemen stay for me. The devil fly away with your good-man! I came to beg he would lend me a brace of greyhounds, for we have a mind to have a course at a hare, upon the Downs.'

  'You may take them, and welcome!' she returned. 'But this is scurvy usage, brother, to come not nigh me for a year, and then only to borrow Tom's dogs!'

  He had his arm round her waist, and gave her a hug. 'Nay, I knew you would say so, but being promised to Cousin Gounter, what can I do? I'll tell you what, Ursula! If we stay out late, and do not beat too far, we will all of us come and be merry with you tonight.'

  'If you do, you shall be heartily welcome,' she said. 'How many must I expect to supper?'

  'Why, there's Tom Gounter, and a Mr Barlow, from Devonshire, and two others, besides Barlow's servant. You will wish such a company at the devil, I daresay!'

  'Nay, how can you say so?' she replied indignantly. 'If you are to please me, you will come with your friends, and you shall be sure of a good supper, and good beds after it.'

  'Well, if I can, I will come,' he said. 'In any event, tell Tom Symons he shall be sure of his dogs.'

  He would not stay to taste her March beer, but, having collected a brace of greyhounds, rode off to join Wilmot and his cousin on the Downs.

  It was a fine day, and for an hour or two even Wilmot allowed himself to be diverted by the excite ment of beating for hares. When the time of the King's probable arrival approached, the Colonel left the dogs with him and Tom Gounter, and rode on alone towards Warnford.

  He went at an easy pace, but he had reached Warnford before he met the travellers. As he trotted gently down the main street, he saw two horsemen approaching him from the other end of the little town. In another minute he recognized Robin Phelips, and directed his eager, searching gaze towards the tall man riding beside him.

  The first thought that struck him was that the King had the best seat in the saddle of any man he had seen; the second, that however meanly he might be dressed, his whole bearing so plainly proclaimed his royalty that it was little short of miraculous that those who saw him ride past them did not know him at once for what he was.

  God save the mark! thought the Colonel, half aghast, half amused, let but a man pull off his hat to scratch his head, and the King will bow his thanks for the salute!

  He was almost abreast of the two other riders by this time, and could clearly see the King's face. Beyond one quick glance, however, he did not look at it, but met Robin Phelips's questioning stare instead. He made no sign, thinking it very impru dent to recognize him in the middle of a town, but rode past, and dismounted farther up the street, at a decent ale-house. Out of the tail of his eye, he saw that Phelips and the King had not checked, but were riding on at an ambling trot.

  He called for some beer, and a pipe, and sat down in the taproom as one who had the whole day to waste. It was nearly half an hour before he would permit himself to leave the ale-house, and when he did get up he forced himself to move in a leisurely fashion, strolling out to his horse, and riding off in the King's wake at a slow trot.

  Once clear of the town, and sure that no suspicious eye observed his movements, he set spurs to his horse, and made what speed he could up on to the Downs.

  He overtook the King and Phelips on the top of Old Winchester Hill, where they stayed for him. As he reined in his horse, and pulled off his hat, a merry voice said: 'Is this my new and careful guardian that will not know me in the street? I am very glad to see you, Colonel Gounter.'

  The Colonel saw that a hand, brown enough for a country-fellow's but by far too shapely, was being held out to him. He pressed his horse up close to the King's, and took the hand in his, and kissed it. 'Your Majesty! God be praised that you are come, and safely!'

  'Why, certainly, but from what Robin here tells me, I must praise one George Gounter also,' responded the King.

  'Ay, that's true,' agreed Phelips. 'But it's by God's mercy we did not miscarry, Gounter! I can tell you, I have never been in such a sweat in my life, for when I brought the horses to the meadow-gate at Heale, close on three o'clock this morning, what must that jade his Majesty is mounted upon do but break his bridle, and run I know not how far up the river! I thought I should never recover him!'

  'Broke his bridle!'

  'Yes,' said the King, 'but when Robin had done swearing, all was very tolerably amended by my good hostess, who fetched us a length of strong ribbon, with which we contrived to secure the bit, as you may see.'

  'Well, and if I swore I am sure it was no wonder, sir,' said Phelips. 'At least I did not stand laughing fit to break my sides while all went to rack! Gounter, tell me, is all provided for against his Majesty's coming? Where's my lord?'

  'I left him running a course with my cousin not far off. If you will lead his Majesty on towards Hambledon, I will soon bring my lord after you.'

  'Will you go, sir?' Phelips asked the King. 'I think it not wise to linger.'

  'My dear Robin, did I not promise to do as you bade me?' said the King meekly.

  'Saving my respect, I'd say your Majesty is a mighty careless promiser,' replied Phelips, with blunt honesty.

  'Fie on you, I swear you wrong me! Lead on: I will go with you most obediently.' He smiled at Gounter as he gathered up his bridle, and added: 'Tell my lord to leave his sport, for I have a great desire to see him, Colonel.'

  It was not necessary to tell my lord to leave his sport. He no sooner caught sight of Gounter riding over the Downs towards him, than he spurred forward to meet him, anxiously demanding whether he had seen the King. Upon hearing that he had ridden on with Phelips in the direction of Hambledon, he could scarcely wait for Tom Gounter to call the dogs to heel before starting in pursuit of his master.

  They came up with the King upon Broadhalfpenny Down, above Hambledon. Wilmot let his bridle fall and caught Charles's outstretched hand in both of his, patting and fondling it. 'My dear!' he said in a broken voice. 'You are safe! What I have suffered since I parted from you! But you are well, you are safe!'

  'I was never better in my life,' declared the King. 'But as for you, Harry, I swear you have become as gaunt as a greyhound!'

  'If I had, it were small wonder!' said Wilmot, laughing. 'But alas, I am not yet as slender in the middle as I could wish!'

  He released the King's hand, and rode beside him at a walking pace for some way, a little ahead of the others. They fell back out of earshot, but presently the King looked over his shoulder, and called Colonel Gounter to him. When the Colonel came up, he said: 'I have been holding some discourse with my lord, Colonel. Can you get me a lodging hereabouts?'

  'Yes, sire, very easily,' replied the Colonel. 'My lord will have told your Majesty that my cousin Hyde's house at Hinton Daubnay is heartily at our disposal, for one.'

  'But it seems that my lord will not have me go there. Know you of no other?'

  'There is my sister's house at Hambledon, where your Majesty will be right welcome. It stands privately, and out of the way, but it is not as proper a lodging as Hyde's, sir.'

  'I like it better!' Wilmot said quickly. 'None will look there for you, sir!'