“But Miss Arden said ‘All is lost,’ and she knew ’twas he whom we sought.”
“Well,” Elfrida carefully explained, “it’s like this. You see, we were robbed by a highwayman to-day, and I think that upset my cousin. She’s rather easily upset, I’m afraid.”
“Very easily,” several voices agreed, and some one added that it was a hare-brained business.
“The shortest way’s the best,” said the plum-coloured gentleman. “Is Sir Edward Talbot here?”
“No, he isn’t,” said Elfrida downrightly, “and I don’t believe you’ve got any business coming into people’s houses and frightening other people into fits, and I shall tell Lord Arden when he comes home. So now you know.”
“Zooks!” some one cried, “the child’s got a spirit; and she’s right, too, strike me if she isn’t.”
“But, snails!” exclaimed another, “we do but protect Lord Arden’s house in his absence.”
“If,” said Elfrida, “you think your Talbot’s playing hide-and-seek here, and if he’s done anything wrong, you can look for him if you like. But I don’t believe Lord Arden will be pleased. That’s all. I should like to get down on to the floor, if you please!”
I don’t know whether Elfrida would have had the courage to say all this if she had not remembered that this was history-times, and not now-times. But the gentlemen seemed delighted with her bravery.
They lifted her gently down, and with many apologies for having discommoded the ladies, they went out of the room and out of the castle. Through the window Elfrida heard the laughing voices and clatter and stamp of their horses’ hoofs as they mounted and rode off. They all seemed to be laughing. And she felt that she moved in the midst of mysteries.