Part 24 (2/2)

Anne's, and had already consented to receive Lady Margaret. Leaving her at the door, and promising that, as far as possible, he would keep watch over her, and that even in the worst she need never despair, Sir Cuthbert left her and returned to the forest.

The band there a.s.sembled varied considerably in numbers, for provisions could not be found continually for a large body of men. The forest was indeed very extensive, and the number of deer therein large. Still, for the feeding of 150 men many animals are required and other food. The franklins in the neighbourhood were all hostile to Sir Rudolph, whom they regarded as a cruel tyrant, and did their utmost in the way of supplies for those in the forest. Their resources, however, were limited, and it was found necessary to scatter the force, and for a number of them to take up their residence in places a short distance away, forty only remaining permanently on guard.

Sir Rudolph and his friends entered Worcester, and there received with great hauteur the apologies of the mayor and council, and the a.s.surance that the townspeople were in nowise concerned in the attack made upon him. To this he pretended disbelief. The fine demanded was paid, the princ.i.p.al portion in gold, the rest in bills signed by the leading merchants of the place; for after every effort it had been found impossible to collect such a sum within the city.

The day after he arrived, he again renewed his demand to the abbess for the surrender of the Lady Margaret; this time, however, coming to her attended only by two squires, and by a pursuivant bearing the king's order for the delivery of the damsel. The abbess met him at the gate, and informed him that the Lady Margaret was no longer in her charge.

”Finding,” she said, in a fearless tone, ”that the holy walls of this convent were insufficient to restrain lawless men, and fearing that these might be tempted to acts of sacrilege, which might bring down upon them the wrath of the church and the destruction of their souls, I have sent her away.”

”Whither has she gone?” Sir Rudolph demanded, half mad with pa.s.sion.

”That I decline to say,” the lady abbess replied. ”She is in good hands; and when King Richard returns, his ward shall be delivered to him at once.”

”Will you take oath upon the Bible that she is not within these walls?”

Sir Rudolph exclaimed.

”My word is sufficient,” the lady abbess replied calmly. ”But should it be necessary, I should be ready to swear upon the relics that she is not here.”

A few hours later Sir Rudolph, attended by his own party and by 100 of Sir Charles Everest's mercenaries, returned to his castle.

Three days afterwards, as Cuthbert was sitting at a rude but hearty meal in the forest, surrounded by c.n.u.t and his followers, a hind entered breathless. Cuthbert at once recognized him as one of the servitors of his mother.

”What is it?” he exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

”Terrible news, Master Cuthbert, terrible news!” exclaimed the man. ”The wicked earl came down this morning, with fifty of his men, set fire to the house, and all its buildings and stacks, and has carried off the lady, your mother, a prisoner to the castle, on a charge, as he said, of harbouring traitors.”

A cry of fury broke from c.n.u.t and his men.

”The false traitor shall bitterly regret this outrage,” Cuthbert exclaimed.

He had in the first excitement seized his arms, and his followers s.n.a.t.c.hed up their bows, as if for instant warfare. A few moments'

reflection, however, showed to Cuthbert the impossibility of his attacking a fortress like Evesham, garrisoned by a strong body of well-armed men, with only the archers of the forest, without implements necessary for such an a.s.sault.

”Send at once, c.n.u.t,” he said, ”and call in all the band. We cannot take the castle; but we will carry fire and sword round its walls. We will cut off all communication from within or from without. If attacked by large forces, we will retire upon the wood, returning to our posts without the walls as soon as the force is withdrawn. These heavily armed men can move but slowly; while we can run at full speed. There cannot be more than some twenty hors.e.m.e.n in the castle; and methinks with our arrows and pikes we can drive these back if they attempt to fall upon us.”

c.n.u.t at once sent off swift-footed messengers to carry out Cuthbert's orders, and on the following day the whole of the band were again a.s.sembled in the woods. Just as Cuthbert was setting them in motion, a distant blast of a horn was heard.

”It is,” Cuthbert exclaimed, ”the note calling for a parley. Do you, c.n.u.t, go forward, and see what is demanded. It is probably a messenger from Sir Rudolph.”

After half-an-hour's absence, c.n.u.t returned, bringing with him a pursuivant or herald. The latter advanced at once towards Cuthbert, who, now in his full knightly armour, was evidently the leader of the party.

”I bear to you, Sir Cuthbert, falsely calling yourself Earl of Evesham, a message from Sir Rudolph. He bids me tell you that the traitress, Dame Editha, your mother, is in his hands, and that she has been found guilty of aiding and abetting you in your war against Prince John, the Regent of this kingdom. For that offence she has been condemned to die.”

Here he was interrupted by a cry of rage which broke from the a.s.sembled foresters. Continuing unmoved, he said,--

”Sir Rudolph, being unwilling to take the life of a woman, however justly forfeited by the law, commands me to say, that if you will deliver yourself up to him by to-morrow at twelve, the Dame Editha shall be allowed to go free. But that if by the time the dial points to noon you have not delivered yourself up, he will hang her over the battlements of the castle.”

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