CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR.
A GLITTERING COHORT.
It was getting late in the afternoon when a party of horsemen, numberingabout two hundred, commenced the ascent of Cat's Hill, going in thedirection of Ruardean.
Soldiers they were, in scarlet doublets, elaborately laced; theirstandard flag, with the Royal arms in its field, and a crown upon thepeak of its staff, proclaiming them in the service of the king.
That it was no common cavalry troop could be told by other distinctivesymbols. Beside the three or four subalterns in their places along theline, half a score other officers were at its head; in gorgeousuniforms, and with hats grandly plumed, as on the personal staff of ageneral. And such were they; the rank and file rearward being hisescort. No ordinary general either, but the commander-in-chief of theKing's armies--Prince Rupert himself.
His own garb in splendour outshone all; a blaze of jewels and gold, fromthe _aigrette_ in his hat to the spurs upon his heels--costume morebefitting court than camp.
But he was not now on any war expedition; instead, on the way to seekconquest of other kind than by the sword.
It was the day succeeding that night of revelry at his quarters inBristol; and the words there exchanged between him and Colonel Lunsfordwill explain his presence on the Cat's Hill, with face turned towardsRuardean. For in that direction also lay Hollymead House whither he wasproceeding.
Quick work and a rapid ride had he made of it; evincing the strongpassion of fancy with which the "bit of saucy sweetness" had inspiredhim.
Lunsford was with him, by his side; the two some lengths in the lead,and apart from the others, conversing as they rode on.
"You think, _mein_ Colonel," said the Prince, interrogatively, "we shallfind the _frauleins_ at home this time!"
"Pretty sure of it, your Highness. Since the Goodrich ferryman heard oftheir being at Hollymead yesterday, it's scarcely probable they can havetaken departure since."
"But the news from Monmouth will have reached them. How about that?"
"It will affect them somewhat, I dare say. Still, Master Powell is nota man to be easily frightened. As your Highness will be aware, Ruardeanis not under the Monmouth Commissioners. Sir John Wintour on theGloucester side, is the one Powell has most reason to apprehend a visitfrom. And as he will know of Sir John's being held in check by Massey,he won't be much alarmed, just yet. Still, no doubt, he'll be formoving back again to Gloucester; though not in such hot haste, but thatyour Highness will have an opportunity of holding speech with him."
"_Gott_! Sir Thomas; that should be the reverse of pleasant, from whatyou've told me about the old Roundhead's tongue. He may give it me ashe did yourself."
"No fear of that, your Highness."
"Why not, pray?"
"The circumstances are quite different. He had backings about himthen--these ugly fores fellows, five to our one. Besides a RoyalPrince--Puritan though he be--he'll have respect for that. But whatmatters it about his prating? Your Highness intends laying him by theheels."
"That will depend on circumstances. We must try the _suaviter_ beforethe _fortiter_. If fair words fail, then--the extremities."
"Our present visit to the Master of Hollymead is to be of a friendlycharacter then? Is that your Highness's intention!"
"Ceremoniously so; all the politeness to be observed by every one of ourescort. You will see to that, Colonel?"
"It shall be seen to. But does your Highness propose taking them all tothe house? It might be convenient to leave some at the village, to waityour coming back."
"_Nein, nein_!" impatiently exclaimed the Prince. "All go on with me."
Astute schemer as was Lunsford himself, he was not aware of certainmotives actuating his master. Anything but an Adonis was the son of theElector Palatinate. Yet such he dreamed himself, with a confidence inhis power of fascinating the fair sex almost illimitable. The type andboast of Cavalierism, he wielded sway uncontrolled wherever he went, orthe Royal cause was triumphant; women, as men, either willinglysubmitting to his caprices, or not daring to oppose them. Many aconquest had he made over weak creatures consenting. For theachievement of such he well knew the advantage of stately show and regalsurroundings, nowhere more effective than in the country he was defilingwith his presence. Even at this day as then, where the proverbialindemnity for the wrong-doing of kings is extended to princes andprincelets, their social backslidings gaining them credit, rather thanblame, under the facetious title, geniality.
No man better than Rupert knew woman's weakness in this regard. Hencethe shining retinue he had summoned to attend him in this ride throughthe Forest of Dean--one of the pleasure excursions he was accustomed tomake under the plea of a military reconnaissance. For, although thefuture pirate of the West Indian seas was quite indifferent to Englishpublic opinion, there were reasons then for him not too openly outragingit. By his defeats and failures he had lost the countenance of thecourt, and intrigue was there busy against him.
"In that case, your Highness," rejoined Lunsford, "there's no necessityfor our going through the village. A path leads through the woods bywhich it can be avoided."
"Is it a roundabout?"
"Not much, if any. It comes back into this again, near Hollymead Parkgates. If we pass through the village your Highness's escort will gaina large accession of strength, which may not be agreeable to you."
"Gott, yes! Something in that, Sir Thomas. Let us take the other way,then. Where does it branch off?"
"There, your Highness"; and he pointed to the embouchure of a wood roadsome paces ahead on the right.
Without further speech they turned into it, and rode on beneath theshadow of trees, whose branches, arcading over, hindered sight of thesun. For, though October, these were still in full foliage, the leavesfalling late in the Forest of Dean. But green no more; save those ofthe yew, holly, and frost-defying bramble, with the mistletoe and itspearl-like pellucid berries. All others showed hues and tints varied,and almost as vivid as those of the tropical forests so much extolled bytravellers.
A winding path it was, by reason of the steep incline; and as in silencethe glittering cohort, forced into single file by its narrowness, slowlyfollowed the sinuosities upward, it might have been likened to agigantic serpent in crawl towards unsuspecting prey.
This similitude in more ways than one; for at the head of that glancingline there were serpents, though in human shape, making approach to whatthey intended as victims.