CHAPTER FIFTY THREE.
AGAIN PRESENTIMENTS.
"Don't you wish we were back in Gloucester, Sab?"
"Why wish that, Vag?"
"It's so lonely here."
"How you've changed, and in so short a time! While in the city you wereall longings for the country and now--"
"Now I long to get back to the city."
"The prosaic city of Gloucester, too!"
"Even so. And am sorry we ever came away from it."
"You've got yourself to blame. Father was all against it, you know, andonly yielded to your solicitations. As you're his favourite he couldn'trefuse you."
"But you approved of it yourself, for another reason."
Sabrina had approved of it for another reason thus hinted at. After thetaking of Monmouth by the Parliamentarians, Sir Richard Walwyn hadorders to keep to the Hereford side of the Forest and guard theapproaches in that direction. Hence his having his Horse quartered atRuardean, and hence the desire of the sisters to be back at HollymeadHouse. Now that he was gone to Gloucester--so unexpectedly summonedthither--all was different, and to Vaga the country life she had soenthusiastically praised seemed no longer delightful.
"Well, Vag, we're here now, and must make the best of it. Though Iconfess to feeling it a little lonely myself. I wish father had takenRichard's advice."
At his hurried departure Colonel Walwyn had counselled their leavingHollymead, and going back to reside at Gloucester, if not at once, soonas the removal could be conveniently made. The knight, without wishingunnecessarily to alarm them, had yet some apprehensions about theirsafety in that remote place. But they were not shared in by hisintended father-in-law, who, although not absolutely rejecting theadvice, still delayed following it. So secure felt he that, even on thevery day when Sabrina was speaking of it, he had himself gone toGloucester, on Committee business, and left his daughters at Hollymeadalone.
Vaga echoed her sister's wish, then added,--"It may be worse thanlonely. Don't you think there's some danger?"
"Oh, no! What danger?"
"Why, from the enemy--the King's people."
"There are none nearer than Bristol and Hereford."
"You forget Goodrich Castle?"
"No, I don't. But with Monmouth in the hands of our soldiers theGoodrich garrison will have enough to do taking care of itself, withouttroubling us."
Monmouth had not yet been retaken by the Royalists; at least no word ofthat had reached Hollymead House.
"Besides," she continued. "Sir Henry Lingen would not likely molest us.You remember before the war he was very much father's friend, and--"
"And before he was married very much yours," interpolated the youngersister, with a glance of peculiar significance. "I remember that too.For the which reason he might be the very man to molest us. There'ssuch a thing as spitefulness, and he could scarce be blamed for feelingit a little."
"T'sh, Vaga! Don't say such silly things. There never was aughtbetween Sir Henry and myself, nor any reason for his being spiteful now.We have nothing to apprehend from that quarter."
"Still we may from some other."
"What other are you thinking of?"
"Not any in particular. Only a vague sense of somebody--a foreboding--as when we were out hawking, just before that courier arrived. I hadthe same feeling then, and it came true."
"Admitting it did, what evil came of it? None; only an ordinary event,Richard and Eustace being separated from us. So long as the war lastswe must expect that, and be patiently resigned to it."
Though sager grown, Vaga was still not equal to the strain of anyprolonged resignation. Of a subtle, nervous nature, she was easilyaffected by signs and omens, felt presentiments and had belief in them.One was upon her at this same moment, and in an instant after she sawthat which seemed likely to justify it.
"Look!" she cried; "look yonder?" They were in the withdrawing-room,having entered it after eating breakfast, she herself standing at one ofthe windows, with eyes bent down the long avenue. What had elicited herexclamation was a figure that, having passed inside the park gates, wascoming on for the house. A woman, but of man's stature, and by thiseasily identifiable. For at the first glance Vaga recognised the sisterof Cadger Jack.
It was not that which had caused her to exclaim so excitedly. Winny wasan almost everyday visitor at the big house, having much business there,and nothing strange would be thought of her coming to it at any time.The strangeness was the way in which she was making approach, hurriedlyand in long strides--almost at a run!
"What can it mean?" mechanically interrogated Sabrina, who had joinedthe other at the window. "So unlike Winifred's usual stately step!Unlike her manner too--she seems greatly excited. Something amiss, Ifear."
"Oh, sister! I'm sure of it. Just what I've been thinking and saying.She has news for us, and sad news--you'll see."
"I trust not. Stay! this is Monmouth market day, possibly she has beento the market and heard something there. In that case it's not likelyto affect us much, all we care for being on the other side of theForest. And yet the cadgers could scarce have been to the market andback again already? 'Tis too early. But we shall soon know."
By this the cadgeress was pushing open the wicket-gate of the _haw-haw_,and, now near, they could read the expression upon her features, whichshowed full of concern.
Though the month of October, the morning was warm, and the window inwhich they, stood, a casement, had been thrown open. Stepping into alittle balcony outside, and leaning over the rail, Sabrina called outinterrogatively--"You have some news for us, Win?"
"'Deed yes, my lady. That hae I, an' sorry be's I to say't."
"Bad news, then?" exclaimed both sisters in a breath, their heartsaudibly beating.
"Is it anything from Gloucester?" gasped out the elder one, the othermentally echoing the question.
"No, my ladies. It be all 'bout Monnerth."
This some little relieved them, and more tranquilly they waited to hearwhat the news was.
"Them be's bad, as ye ha' guessed," continued the cadgeress. "Him havebeen took by the Cavalieres."
"Him! Who?" simultaneously exclaimed the sisters, again greatlyexcited.
"Monnerth, mistresses; I sayed Monnerth, didn't I?"
"Oh! yes, yes." They were too glad to give assent, without noticing herungrammatic provincialism. "Monmouth taken by the Cavaliers, you say?"
"Yes, my ladies. They's be back into it, an' ha' shut up theParliamentaries in prison--all as didn't get away."
"Where have you heard this, Win? You haven't been to Monmouth yourself,have you?"
"No, Mistress Sabrina. Only partways. Jack an' me started for themarket; but fores crossin' the ferry at Goodrich us heerd as how theSheriff wor down at Monnerth, an' had helped them o' Ragland to capterthe town. Takin' the hint, us turned back an' hurried home, fast asever we could; an' I han't lost a minnit in comin' to tell ye."
"'Twas thoughtful of you, Winifred," said Sabrina. "And we give youthanks. Now go round to the cook and have something to eat. But stay!I'm forgetting. You haven't told us what time it happened--I mean thetaking of Monmouth. You heard that, didn't you?"
"Yes, mistress. Night afore last, or early yester morn. Whens daybroke the King's flag be seen over the Castle, an' there wor greatrejoicins in the town. So tolt we the ferryman o' Goodrich."
"What should we do?" inquired Vaga, after the cadgeress had partedcompany with them, retiring to the kitchen.
"What can we do? Nothing, till father comes home. As they must havehad the intelligence at Gloucester, yesterday evening at latest, we maylook for him soon. I suppose we must give up all thought of hawkingto-day? Some one had better go to Van Dorn's lodge, and tell him not tocome."
"Too late! There he is now."
The falconer was seen approaching by a side path, with an attendant whocarried the hawks on a _cadge_, a couple of dogs following. At the sameinstant saddled horses, in t
he charge of grooms, were being broughtround from the rear of the house. All this had been ordered beforehand,the ladies having sate down to breakfast costumed and equipped for thesport of falconry.
"Shall we send them back?" queried Sabrina, irresolutely.
"Why should we?"
Vaga was passionately fond of hawking; and, now that she knew the worstof that foreboding late felt, was something of herself again. Thetaking of Monmouth was but one of the many incidents of the war; nomisfortune had happened to any in whom they had special concern.
"I suppose we'll have to leave Hollymead now," she added, "once more totake up our abode in cities. In which case it may be long before wehave another day with hawks. If we don't go, Van Dorn will be sodisappointed."
"If we do, then," rejoined Sabrina, half assentingly, "it mustn't befar--not outside the park."
"Agreed to that. No need for our going out of it. Inside we'll findplenty of things to fly your Mer at. As for my Pers, if better don'tturn up, we can whistle them off at a cushat."
So it was settled, and in twenty minutes after they were in theirsaddles, and away beyond sight of the house, listening to the_hooha-ha-ha-ha_, the whistle and the whoop.