“Crop-ears, sir,—Parliamentary men.”
“Is it so bad as that?”
“Bad? Yes, sir.”
“But my father—how is he?”
“Well and hearty when he sent us off, sir.”
“Come quickly then,” cried Roy, hurrying the men along to the great drawbridge, over which the horses’ hoofs began to rattle loudly. But they had not gone half-way across the moat before there was the rustle of a dress in front, and, looking ghastly pale and her eyes wild with excitement, Lady Royland came hurrying to meet them.
Roy sprang to her, crying—
“Letters from father, and he is quite well!”
He caught his mother in his arms, for her eyes closed and she reeled and would have fallen; but the next minute she had recovered her composure, and held out her hand for the packet the trooper had taken from his wallet.
“Thank you,” she said, smiling. “Martlet, take these poor tired fellows into the hall at once, and see that they have every attention. Set some one to feed their horses.”