With Ring of Shield Part 33

"Fear not, it is I--Walter."

"Oh, my dear, n.o.ble Walter!"

Harleston's arm no longer restrained, and we were locked in each other's arms in a shorter s.p.a.ce of time than takes a thought to travel unto Heaven.

"Have a care, my darling, lest thou dost destroy that same handsome habit; for I am nothing if not thoroughly saturated."

Then I kissed the fair Mary as she still stood by Frederick's side, laughing and weeping both at once.

"My dear friend," said Harleston, "much am I joyed to see thee thus free from that b.l.o.o.d.y Tower. And now--though ere this I did fear to say so--I tell thee truly, I never thought to see thee here this night."

"But why?" I asked. "'Twas thou which sent the letter that did give unto me--with the n.o.ble a.s.sistance of this brave friend here--my liberty," and I slapped Michael--who had tied the horses beneath the trees by the corner of the building, and now stood near me--on his huge arm.

"Do but come in and close the door, and I will tell thee all, in as few words as possible; for the time we have is short."

"Art not afraid to flee with me, my fair one?" I asked; and I drew Hazel closer to my side, as we were pa.s.sing down the hall.

"Nay, nay, Walter dear; to the end of the world would I go with thee.

When love, such as is mine, is in the heart it leaveth no room for fear. Mine only desire now is that we may, with all expediency, avoid our enemies; and when the Earl of Richmond doth conquer the b.l.o.o.d.y Richard, then may we return to happiness and have our dreams of other days fulfilled."

"Mine own dear, trusting love," I murmured, as I stooped and kissed her forehead.

The ex-Queen had waited up the whole long night that she might see if I did succeed in escaping from the Tower. How worn and sorrow-stricken she did look as I knelt and kissed her hand.

"I thank G.o.d, Sir Walter, that thou hast escaped the murderous boar,"

she said, in her kind and motherly way.

"So do I too, madam; for besides mine own wrongs I have yet to make a great effort and redeem mine oath made to the good King Edward, your n.o.ble husband. When my good friend here and I rode from Berwick unto the Castle at Windsor his Majesty did give unto us each a present worthy of the giver. At that time, madam, we both did swear to avenge any wrong that ever did transgress upon your royal son, our late lamented little King. Much time hath pa.s.sed and still he's unavenged; but if the life within me be spared I'll yet strike a hard blow against his cruel and b.l.o.o.d.y murderer."

"Ay, ay, we will," a.s.sented Frederick.

"He'll doie fer the murtherin' o' the little darlin'," growled Michael from behind my back, where he towered like some grim monument.

I shamed to confess that I had forgot my faithful squire, until his voice recalled him to my mind.

"Madam, I beg that thou wilt permit me to make known unto thee the truest heart, as well as the strongest arm, in all England. Courage, loyalty, generosity and strength are all that do unite in this, your faithful servant." And I led Michael, who blushed like a maiden, before Elizabeth.

She spoke some kindly words unto him, and gave him her hand to kiss.

On his knee his head was still as high as hers.

Gently he kissed the dainty fingers lying in his mighty palm, and then he arose without a word.

Why, oh why, are not the kings and rulers of men born with hearts like Michael's? Thy praises, oh my faithful squire, should be sung by masters skilled in the art of playing upon the sympathetic strings of the living harp, in place of the task, so full of possibilities, being left to the feeble hand of such an one as I. But then, who knows as well as thine old master the workings of that great heart whose every throb is one of loyalty?

But come, Sir Walter, hasten along in the path where lies thy story, and tarry not, like some gossiping old wife, at every house along the way, telling some news that helps thee not unto thy destination.

"I have more ill news for thee, Sir Walter," said Elizabeth, when Michael had arisen and resumed his former place, glad to be no longer the object on which we all did gaze.

"Heaven forbid!" I exclaimed devoutly.

"Nay, Heaven doth forbid no woe to fall upon mine untimely silvering head; and it is but just that I should have my punishment."

"But what new calamity may this be, madam?"

"Word reached me a week ago that my little Richard hath disappeared from the Sanctuary in France, where my son, the Marquis of Dorset, left him.

"But comes the news from a trusty source?"

"Yes, from Dorset himself. It happened thus, he says:--

"Near-by where stands the Sanctuary there a great mount doth lift its rugged brow far above the natural level of the earth. Here did my little Prince delight to stroll and watch the sparkling waters far, far beneath his feet, rush in their tumbling haste from rock to rock along their never-ceasing course. Here last was he seen sitting, as was sometimes his wont, upon a boulder beneath a scraggling bush that there doth grow. At set of sun he came not to the house; so the good folk there went out to bring him in. Nowhere could they find him; and now 'tis thought he fell by accident, or intent, down, down into the cruel waters at his feet. From that day since he hath not been found; but his hat was by a traveller picked up and brought into the Sanctuary.

"Now my little Princes both have gone to join their father, and I--though G.o.d knows why--remain upon the earth.

"If little Richard be dead--the which must be only too true--we will make the Earl of Richmond King. Then shall my daughter, Elizabeth, be his Queen. This is all I can now hope for; but it shall be the means of ridding England of blood-supping tyrants, and shall give unto me my long-desired revenge.

"Lord Stanley is now at the head of a strong force, and is marching from the North, apparently to meet the tyrant near by Leicester.

"Richmond is now well on his way to London; and as he comes great numbers flock unto his standard.

"Stanley will, at the last moment, leave the Usurper to his fate and side with the Earl.

"Sir Frederick, here, leaves this morning to join Lord Stanley.

"This evening, when thou dost return with our dear Hazel here, I can give thee a letter to the Earl. I would send it by Sir Frederick, but I do desire to give Earl Henry full particulars of the force that Richard doth take with him along. The powers of the Usurper's friends Richmond already knoweth. Mine agents shall bring in the desired information concerning the forces of the Usurper as soon as Richard doth leave the city."

"Then everything goeth well, so far as preparations are concerned, madam.

"About what time doth Richard march?"

"Soon after sun-up he did intend to go; at least so said the order given to me," replied Harleston.

"Then we will return before the set of sun.

"But what, madam, is your opinion of this same strange letter?"

"Truly, Sir Walter, I knew not of it until Sir Frederick told me its strange contents."

I then showed it to her in the hope that she might recognize the hand.

With great care did she observe the writing; then she raised her head and said:--"It looketh not unlike the hand of my Lord Stanley; though there is a tremble here not his. Mayhap he did disguise his hand to guard him from the danger of its falling into other hands than Sir Frederick's."

"And, Frederick, what dost thou think?" I asked.

"Verily, Walter, I was about to tell thee at the door--and since it had escaped my mind--of how I did mistrust that same packet until I saw ye both arrive safe and free." Then it was that he told me of his meeting Catesby as he left the Palace.

"And dost thou think it safe to go unto this house mentioned in the writing?"