In about ten minutes after, Ida Mara was again walking on the terrace; and before long, the boat once more shot over from the other side.
"Here is a note," she said; "here is a note. The lady gives you her best thanks. Will you be back to-morrow?"
"I will," replied the man, bringing his boat as close up to the terrace as he could. "Now, throw it over."
Ida, with a slight wave of her hand, tossed the note into the wherry; and Markham then said, "It might be, that even if your lady or yourself were here to-morrow when I come, it would be dangerous to throw you the letter. You must give me some sign, if there be any watchful eyes upon you. What shall it be?"
"If there be any risk," replied Ida Mara at once, "you will find me singing. Whenever you find us silent, you may speak in safety.
"Enough, enough!" replied Markham, and rowed away.
Without landing at Westminster, as before, he directed his boat straight towards the Tower Stairs; and leaving it with the waterman from whom it had been hired, he hurried on through several lanes and turnings, to a small lodging, amongst the manifold alleys by which that part of London was intersected. He there put on a livery coat, with the badge of the House of Seymour upon it, and making a small bundle of three or four books and some writing materials, he once more set out, and approached the Tower.
No opposition was made to his entrance, and he was permitted to proceed to the very foot of the Tower where Seymour was lodged--for we can scarcely call it confined, as, at this period of his imprisonment, the restraint to which he was subjected was very slight. There, however, he met the Deputy of the Lieutenant, who stopped him, asking, "What have you got there?"
"Some books and paper, sir," replied Markham, "for Mr. Seymour."
"Let me see, let me see," said the officer; and the pretended servant instantly untied, the handkerchief, and displayed the contents for inspection.