So she was almost contented. She knew that Lord Arden was not one of those to suffer for the Gunpowder Plot. She knew from the History of Arden that he would just be banished from the Court, and end his days happily at Arden, and she was almost tempted just to go on and let what would happen, and stay with this new daddy who had lived three hundred years before, and pet him and be petted by him. Only she felt that she must do something because of Edred. The worst of it was that she could not think of anything to do. She did not know at all what was happening to Edred—whether he was being happy or unhappy.
As it happened he was being, if not unhappy, at least uncomfortable. Mr. Parados, the tutor, who was as nasty a man as you will find in any seaside academy for young gentlemen, still remained at Arden House, and taught the boys—Edred and his cousin Richard. Mr. Parados was in high favour with the King, because he had listened to what wasn’t meant for him, reported it where it would do most mischief—a thing always very pleasing to King James the First—and Lady Arden dared not dismiss him. Besides, she was ill with trouble and anxiety, which Edred could not at all soothe by saying again and again, “Father won’t be found guilty of treason—he won’t be executed. He’ll just be sent to Arden, and live there quietly with you. I saw it all in a book.”
But Lady Arden only cried and cried.
Mr. Parados was very severe, and rapped Edred’s knuckles almost continuously during lesson-time, and out of it; said Cousin Richard, “He is for ever bent on spying and browbeating of us.”
“He’s always messing about—nasty sneak,” said Edred. “I should like to be even with him before I go. And I will too.”
“Before you go? Go whither?” Cousin Richard asked.
“Elfrida and I are going away,” Edred began, and then felt how useless it was to go on, since even when the 1908 Edred—who he was—had gone, the 1605 Elfrida and Edred would of course still be there—that is if . . . He checked the old questions, which he had now no time to consider, and said, in a firm tone which was new to him, and which Elfrida would have been astonished and delighted to hear—
“Yes, I’ve got two things to do: to be even with old Parrot-nose—to be revenged on him, I mean—and to get Elfrida out of the Tower. And I’ll do that first, because she’ll like to help with the other.”
The boys were on the leads, their backs to a chimney and their faces towards the trap-door, which was the only way of getting on to the roof. It was very cold, and the north wind was blowing, but they had come there because it was one of the few places where Mr. Parrot-nose could not possibly come creeping up behind them to listen to what they were saying.
“Get her out of the Tower?” Dick laughed and then was sad. “I would we could!” he said.