“Ah, you are hesitating!” said Mistress Forrester, tenderly. “You are thinking of enemies. What is this warfare to us? We are mothers, and our duty is toward our children. Say that you will come and stay with me in peace till better times are here.”
Lady Markham hesitated no longer. It was a way of escape for her son, and protection for herself and daughter. Besides which, the old sisterly affection was as warm as ever.
“He would tell me to go, if he were here,” she said to herself. “It is to save my boy;” and without another word she laid her hand in her visitor’s.
Mistress Forrester kissed her eagerly, embraced Lilian, who stood there trembling and cold, and then ran to the door.
“Fred, my boy,” she said quickly; “have all ready. Lady Markham will come.”
There was the first sense of relief to the trembling mother’s overladen heart as she heard the tramp of men in the corridor, and she glanced quickly toward the curtains which concealed her son.
“It will leave the way open for his escape,” she said to herself. Then to Mistress Forrester, as she pointed at the farther door—
“Two of the servants who have remained with me through the troubles are there,” she said.
“And they will accompany us, of course,” said her visitor. “Will you tell them to get ready?”
“If you would not mind,” said Lady Markham, appealingly; and without further parley Mistress Forrester crossed the room, tapped lightly, and passed through the door, while Lady Markham darted to the curtain and seized her son by the arm.