"Methinks he has lost a shoe," quoth Jane; and Charles, springing to the ground, found that this was indeed the case. By this time the rest of the party was considerably in advance; and Jane lighted off the horse and looked anxiously about her.
"We are not far from the village of Bromsgrove," she said, "and there is a farrier there who will shoe the nag. But I would one of the servants were here to take him."
"Here is the servant!" answered Charles, smiling, as he laid his hand on the bridle, "if you will show the way, sweet Mistress, we will soon have the horse at the forge door."
"Well, now, I did hear as young Charles Stuart himself was taken," answered the smith.
Page [193].
There was nothing else for it, though Jane shook with apprehension as they entered the village, and their presence before the forge attracted the usual small crowd of idlers.
But if the lady were anxious, Charles seemed sufficiently at his ease, as he held up the horse's foot for the smith to examine.
"What's the news?" asked the King of the man, as the task of shoeing was nearly accomplished.
"Why, I don't know as there has been any since the beating of those rascally Scots at Worcester," answered the other.