The Coming of the King

  CHAPTER XVI

  THE ESCAPE

  "There is no time for further questioning," I said, "even although thereare many things I would ask you;" and then in a few words I told her howI had been able to come thither. She said no word while I spoke to herconcerning this, not even to ask a question; nevertheless what I saidconvinced her that never again would she have such a favourableopportunity of escaping, so without any ado we found our way outside thegaol without a single mishap. Indeed, so easy was the escape fromBedford Gaol that I have wondered many times since concerning our goodfortune. But as I have said, the coming of the king, and the carousalsconsequent thereupon, had caused many things to be turned topsy-turvy,so that we got outside the prison gates without so much as a single wordspoken to us. For that matter, I believe that no man save MasterSturgeon ever dreamed that I had entered the place, and no man knew whenI went out.

  Once outside the prison gates she drew a deep breath, and then I saw herlips move as if in prayer. She had brought a cloak with her, which shenow threw over her head, and then she hurried rapidly into the street.We were in the very heart of the town, yet saw we no man, for the timewas now past midnight, and most of the revellers had gone to sleep.

  "Which way would you go?" I asked.

  "Along the Woburn Road," she whispered. "But stay, we must not go asthough we were followed. May I take your arm, Master Rashcliffe?"

  I felt every fibre of my body tingle as her hand rested on my left arm,and I felt that it should go hard with the man who tried to take herfrom me. I saw to it, therefore, that my sword was loose in its sheath,and that my pistols were easy to command.

  "If once we can cross the river we shall be safer, I think," she said."The town lies this side the river, and once away from the bridge weshall be less likely to meet any who might molest us."

  The night was quiet, I remember. Not a breath of wind stirred, and themoon having been hidden by the passing clouds, there was but littlelight.

  We had not gone above twenty paces along the road, which I think thetownspeople called the High Street, when we met two men, who, as Ijudged, were people of authority.

  "Who are you and where go you?" one asked.

  "Who are you, and where go you?" I retorted quickly.

  "Who am I?" he asked. "I am the town clerk. Now tell me who you are."

  "Sir William Bilton is the chief man in Bedford," said my companion in awhisper.

  I caught her meaning, and spoke as loudly as I dared. "If a guest of SirWilliam Bilton may not walk through the town to see how it behaves onthe day when the king arrives in London without being stopped by thetown clerk, it is passing strange," I answered. "Moreover, I will see toit that he knows concerning the matter."

  The man's tone changed in a moment. "I hope no offence, young master,"he said humbly. "Will you be pleased to pay my humble respects to SirWilliam, and to tell him that I only seek to do my duty?"

  "That is very well," I answered in a tone of offended dignity. "I findno fault with a zealous officer of the town, nevertheless I thought aman in your position could distinguish between a drunken brawler and aman of quality."

  "I crave your pardon, worshipful sir," he said, "but I have had muchtrouble to-night, for nearly every constable and night watchman isdrunk. Therefore, although there is much licence at such a time, yet forthe good name of the town I must e'en do my duty."

  "Ay, I see that, and I will at the first opportunity I have tell SirWilliam what a faithful town clerk he has. Moreover, you may not take acrown amiss with which to drink the king's health, also that of SirWilliam."

  A moment later we were left alone again, and then we walked slowly downthe street. Had I been alone I think I should have hastened, but mycompanion pressed my arm, and bade me in a whisper to go slowly.

  I heard the two men talking together, as though they doubted who wewere, but presently they decided to go on their way, and great was mydelight as I heard their retreating footsteps.

  A minute later we reached the river, which was crossed by means of aroughly built bridge. I noted that the river ran slowly here, and wasperchance a little more than forty yards wide. On our left was a darkbuilding, which looked grim and forbidding, standing as it did upon theriver bank.

  "That is the town gaol," said my companion. "I hoped when I was takenthat I should have been imprisoned there. Then would I have escaped twodays ago."

  "How?" I asked.

  "I would have crept out by one of the windows, and swum across theriver," she answered.

  "But how could you have crept out by the windows?"

  "There are those within that gaol who would do aught for me," sheanswered.

  This she said as we crossed the bridge, eagerly looking around her asshe spoke.

  We still kept straight on, perhaps a hundred yards or more, when shesuddenly took a turning to the right.

  "And where go we now--Lady Denman?" I asked.

  She gave a start, and then stood still as I mentioned her name.

  "Nay, not that," she said almost hoarsely.

  "It is not easy to speak to you unless I call you by your name," I said.

  "Nay, but call me not by his name. He hath been the cause of all ourtroubles!"

  She said these words with such bitterness of voice that she might nothave been the same woman who had been speaking a few moments before.

  "But he is your husband," I said almost brutally.

  She hesitated a few seconds, and then, still holding my arm, she walkedby my side along the road.

  "There be many reasons which lead a woman to call a man husband," shesaid. "Not every woman loves the man whose name she bears, and--" hereshe stopped again like one who seemed to fear she had said too much."Besides," she went on, "certain subjects are painful. I can go fasterif you wish."

  "I am sorry if I have said aught to make you angry with me, Lady----"

  "Constance," she said; "call me Mistress Constance. Nay, you have donenought to make me angry. Hark! what is that?"

  We were now outside the town, and houses were not so plentiful;nevertheless, here and there cottages were scattered, and from some ofthe windows I saw flickering lights. What we heard was the sound offootsteps and the shout of men's voices.

  "They come towards us, not after us," I heard her murmur.

  "Perchance there is an alehouse on the road," I suggested, "and theseare men who have been drinking there."

  "There is an alehouse; but listen----"

  We stopped and listened, and I felt sure I was right in my conjecture.

  "Am I a constable," I heard one say, "and shall I see such goings on? Itell you, you are drunk!"

  "Ay, I am, and so are you, Master Blewitt. The man who is not drunkto-day is not worthy to be called an Englishman. It is only Puritans andwomen who are not drunk. Ah, we had not been so drunk if Master Leslie'sdaughter had not been safely in gaol. Had Master Leslie been able tohold up his head he would have done much to keep the town sober, king orno king."

  "Ay, that is the worst of these Puritans, and that is why I am glad theking hath come back. There will be no sin in getting drunk now, nay, norno sin in kissing a pretty girl. Down with the Puritans, I say, and tothe gallows with Master Leslie's pretty daughter."

  "Nay, 'twould be a pity to put a piece of rope around such a prettyneck."

  "What, man! You never saw her neck."

  "Ay, but I did, and her face too. I never saw it till she was brought tothe river's bank. But I saw it then, and I shall never forget it. Ay, Iwould know it among ten thousand."

  I felt Mistress Constance grasp my arm more tightly with her right hand,while with her left she drew her mantle more closely around her face.

  "Shall we go back?" she asked.

  "What, towards the prison?"

  "Oh no--let us go on."

  Indeed we could do nought else, for the men had caught sight of us bythis time, and I heard one man exclaim, "Ay, here is a man and a wenchcoming!"

  "Do not fear," I whispered: "t
here be but three, and they are wellnighdrunk. If the worst comes to the worst I will fight them all--andmeanwhile you can escape."

  I felt her shiver, even while her fingers gripped my arm still moretightly. Brave as she was, she was still a woman, who shrank from beingbrought into contact with brutal and profane men.

  "Do not leave me if you can help it," she whispered, and then she seemedto master herself, and we walked boldly towards them.

  "Good morrow," said one of the men.

  "Good morrow," I replied.

  "And whither go you?"

  "That is my business."

  "Ay, and mine too. Know you I am a constable and carry a truncheon?Come, tell me who you are."

  "Ay, and let the wench show us her face," said another.

  "Ay, and let her give us a kiss," said the third.

  My anger was getting the better of me now, for not only did they saywhat I have written down, but much more, which must have been sorelydistasteful to Mistress Constance's ears.

  Without any more ado, therefore, I drew my sword.

  "The man who approaches a step nearer will have to swallow six inches ofsteel," I said.

  Drunk as they were they started back. One, however, who did not seemquite as drunk as the others, eyed us closely.

  "Now, then, Peter Blewitt," he said, "you boast that you are a braveman, and you carry a truncheon. At him! At him!"

  But Peter Blewitt did not move.

  "And you say you are never frightened!" sneered the other. "You say thatyou will take me to the lock-up. You! you haven't the courage of abantam cock!"

  This seemed to sting the drunken constable, for he made as though hewould come towards me, and throwing off Mistress Constance's hand, Iseized a pistol, and held it towards them.

  "Unless you go your way I shoot," I cried.

  "Now then, Peter Blewitt, surely you are not afraid of a boy's popgun?At him, man! at him!"

  With drunken gravity the constable drew his truncheon and came towardsme. I was loth, great as the danger was, to use my weapons, for though Ihad been trained to the use of both, I had never had occasion to defendmyself by them before. In this case my hesitation almost led to myundoing, for the feel of the truncheon having evidently given theconstable fresh courage, he rushed upon me suddenly, and struck at mewith all his might. He did not miss me by more than six inches, and hadI not slipped aside, I should have been completely at his mercy, for hewas a strong man. As it was, however, he missed me completely, and notonly that, but wellnigh fell down at my feet. Peter Blewitt's action,however, proved an example for the others.

  "I'll see who the wench is, pistol or no pistol," I heard one say, and Isaw him seize Mistress Constance's cloak, and try to pull it aside.

  At this I hesitated no longer, but struck at him with my sword. Whetherthe blade cut its way through the man's thick clothes I know not, but hedropped his arm in a moment, and then, carried away by my desire to berid of them, I lifted my left arm and fired. I have been told since thatthe bullet only grazed the man's shoulder, but he cried out like one inthe death agony. "I'm killed, I'm killed! Help!" he cried.

  At this he took to his heels, and flew as though the furies were at hisheels, while the others, apparently frightened at the report of thepistol, followed him howling at the top of their voices.

  "Are you hurt?" asked Mistress Constance.

  "No; and you are safe!"

  "Yes. The man did not see my face. Come, let us go."

  We hurried along the road for it may be five minutes; then she stopped.

  "There is a stile here somewhere," she said. "I am sure we have notpassed it. Ah, there it is."

  She leaped lightly over it, and then followed the windings of afootpath. Through two fields we passed together without speaking, thenshe turned on me suddenly.

  "Thank you, Master Rashcliffe," she said; "you are a brave man."

  "What do you mean?" I stammered.

  "I am safe now. You need not fear for me any more. I thank you from thedepths of my heart."

  "But you are not arrived at your destination yet."

  "No, but I shall be there soon. You see those trees? Once behind them Iam safe."

  "But----"

  "It will not be well for you to come farther, Master Rashcliffe. Youneed not fear for me. Forgive me if I desire to be alone. It is notbecause I am not grateful. You have saved me from death, a terribledeath. Good-bye. We shall never meet again."

  My heart grew cold within me. "You have told me nothing," I stammered."That is, the time may come when I can be of--that is, I desire to beyour friend, even as I told you more than a week ago at--that is, on thenight I saw you first."

  "No, no. I had better tell you nothing. If I am not taken prisoneragain--which I shall not be; no, I will die first!--you will never seeme more. But I will pray for you, pray that God will preserve you andgive you happiness. But tell me," she cried, and it seemed as though shehad remembered something else, "can you get away in safety? You musthave had difficulty in coming to me."

  "There is no need to fear for me, Mistress Constance," I said, fearingto give her pain on my account, and thus saying words which I was farfrom being sure of. "I will get away from Bedford without any man beingthe wiser, and you need not fear that I will ever tell any man that Ihave seen you. But I thought not to part from you so soon. There aremany things I would ask of you. Much hath happened since I saw you last,and perchance you can give me an explanation."

  "I can tell you nothing, nothing."

  "But you spoke to that old man. You knew him, I saw him also. I hadspeech with him, and I would know who he was. The knowledge wouldadvantage me much."

  "No, no, I must not, I dare not. Good-bye. I thank you beyond words forwhat you have done, and you need not fear for me. I am safe now. I canhide while search is being made. After that I shall find a home inanother land."

  "Another land?"

  "Ay. There can be no longer a home in England for such as I. Good-bye."

  Again she held out her hand, and in so doing she allowed her cloak todrop, so that I saw her face again, and again my heart grew warm as Isaw it.

  "I cannot let you go like this," I said. "Perchance you will need helpagain. If you do, then I desire to be at your side to render suchservice as may lie in my power."

  "Why should you?" she asked. "I am a stranger to you. Our pathways havestrangely crossed each other, and you have been kind to me. For this Ithank you, oh, so much! but we can never meet again. Our paths lieapart. I dare not show my face to my country people. I am a Dissenter.My father is hated of the new king, while I"--here her voice grew hoarseand harsh--"I attempted to kill the man whose actions brought him back.Do you realize that, Master Rashcliffe? Since that day I have beenhunted as though I were a mad dog. Since that day I have had to adoptall sorts of disguises. I have had to hide in secret places, sometimesalone, sometimes in the company of a man who--who made me do his will,even when my heart grew sick at the thought of it."

  "Then you need a friend all the more. I know nothing of the history ofyour marriage with Sir Charles Denman, and----"

  "Do not seek to know it," she cried passionately. "I shall escape now.Since God hath led you to deliver me from Bedford Gaol, even when hopehad died within my heart, will He forsake me now?"

  "No, but if you need me?" I cried. "Will you not promise to send for meif you need me?"

  "Is that your desire? Knowing what you know of me, do you wish toendanger yourself for me?"

  "Does not my presence in Bedford to-night prove it?"

  "But how may that be? Where can I send?"

  "There is a man near St. Paul's Cross who keeps an inn called the_Virgin Queen_," I made answer. "He was once a servant of my father's.His name is Caleb Bullen. I will speak to him directly I return toLondon, and if you send a letter to me in care of him it will surelyreach me."

  I saw that she looked steadily towards me as I spoke, and I thought shehesitated.

  "When I need help I will send to you
. But stay! I may need protectionfrom my--husband. Will you shield me from him?"

  She said this bitterly, and as she spoke my heart became hard. Whyshould I seek to befriend the wife of another man? Was not her place athis side? Then I remembered the way he spoke to her in the inn atFolkestone, and while I pitied the woman, I felt like hating the man.

  "I will help you against all who would harm you," I said.

  She grasped my hand convulsively.

  "God protect you and preserve you," she said; and then before I realizedwhat she had done, I saw her speeding swiftly across the meadows towardsthe trees she had spoken of.

  I started to follow her, but deemed such an action to be unwise;therefore I stopped and listened. Full five minutes did I wait, but nota sound did I hear. She had disappeared from my view as though she werea shadow of the night. For a time she seemed but the creature of one'sdreams, and the events of the night only the imaginings of a disorderedmind. Yet I knew it was not so.

  Presently, drawn by a curiosity which I was unable to overcome, I wenttowards the group of trees I have spoken of, and presently I saw a largehouse wellnigh hidden by much foliage. After that I stayed not a minute,but hurried back with all speed towards Bedford.

  The reason for this will be plain. While I was with Mistress Constance,my one thought was to ensure her safety, but directly I was convincedthat she had found a refuge, I realized my own danger. It came upon mewith great suddenness that I must leave the town within an hour. I knewthat the woman's flight from the gaol might be discovered any moment,and thus I should, if I were not careful, be drawn into a net ofdifficulties. It would be easy to raise the hue and cry, and then Ishould nowhere find rest for the sole of my foot. I realized that thecarousals consequent upon the coming of the king had allowed me toeffect her escape. At no other time would it have been possible to havedone such a thing. But vigilance had been suspended, and every turnkeyhad deemed it his duty to become drunk in the king's honour. In thisalso lay my hope for escape from Bedford that night.

  My work, therefore, was to get into the town with all speed, to saddleBlack Ben in secret, and to ride away before any man should become awareof my whereabouts. If Master Sturgeon were still asleep this might beeasy, for I had taken care to examine the exits from the stable at thetime when I had taken up my quarters at _The Bull_. Moreover, Black Ben,although I wished he had many more hours' rest, had been well fed, andwould by this time be ready for a gallop. It is true I had ridden himsixty miles, but his staying power was wonderful, and I knew he would gotill he dropped.

  It did not take me long to reach _The Bull_, where I found the carousersstill lingering. It struck me, however, that something of importance hadhappened. The drinkers were not singing and shouting, but talkingeagerly.

  "You say she hath escaped?" I heard some one say.

  "Ay."

  "What, from the county gaol?"

  "Ay, and Master Sturgeon is murdered."

  "Murdered!"

  "It is thought that some friend of Master Leslie's found his way intothe gaol, and did away with him."

  "And the woman is gone?"

  "So it is said. I am going thither to see. I heard the news only aminute ago."

  "Who told thee?"

  "One of the night watchers, and he had it from one of the turnkeys."

  All this time I stood in the yard of _The Bull_ beneath an open window.

  "Stay, I will go with thee," said one.

  "Ay, and I would too," said another, "but I am too drunk."

  "Ay, and I too," said another, "and whether Master Leslie's wench hathescaped or no, I will e'en drink till daylight."

  With that two or three left the inn, while I cautiously found my wayinto the stable.

  I knew that if I did not get away within the next few minutes myliberty, and perhaps my life, could not be valued at a silver groat.