"And when he came into England, a mere child, with no friend to help him save a thick-witted trooper who could scarce speak the English tongue, small wonder there was none to listen to him! Of a truth, godson," he ended, "'twas a happy wind that blew thee unto Ryeborough! I mistrust I am the only man in England,—nay, in all the world, perchance,—that could piece together thy story and say with certainty that thou art thy father's son."
Then at last Lord Caversham let Rupert rise from his knee, but he still kept his hand upon him.
"Thou art a good lad of thine inches, Robert," said he, and then his eyes began to laugh, with just the trick that Dick Fowell's eyes had.
"Look you," he spoke, "now that my Dick is grown, I need a young lad to sit at my table and ride at my bridle-hand. What sayst thou, wife? Shall we keep this godson of mine and make a good Parliament man of him?"
Oh, but at that Rupert backed away quickly from my lord, and grew red to the roots of his hair!
"Ah, but, my lord," he said, "I am a king's man, like Merrylips and like Cornet Venner."
For the first time Munn's heart seemed to warm toward Rupert at those words.
"I do beseech you, my lord," Munn said, "let the boy go unto the Lady Sybil Fernefould, who is now dwelling in my father's house at Walsover. She is blood-kin to the lad, his own aunt, and will make him welcome unto her, I dare undertake."
"Ay, and make an arrant Cavalier of him, like all you Venners," my lord answered. "And if I refuse, no doubt, Cornet Venner, you will steal him away from under my face and eyes, as you did your young sister here from Mr. Lowry's keeping."
Perhaps Munn did not know that so much of Merrylips' story had been told to Dick Fowell and his sisters, and through them had reached Lord Caversham. He grew quite red and flustered, and made no more suggestions.