“I will not, sir. I’d seen to it she had her sword stick with her, and you may lay your life she made use of it. She had the point at the other man’s throat till Sir Anthony jumped in to take his pistol from him, so I heard. There was no more to it. We were off, all three of us, with Miss Prue up before Sir Anthony on the roan. We made for Easterly Woods, and ’twas there I gave the mare up to Miss Prue.”
Robin slowly pulled off his boots again. “Lord!” he said. “And so farewell Peter Merriot! She went willingly?”
“Oh ay, she knew well enough there was no saying him nay then. He told me to bring her woman’s clothes down to my Lady Enderby’s as soon as may be. For, says he, she’s done with this masquerade. But first, sir, I must have you away. We’ll have a whole pack of the Watch down on us here when this is known.”
Robin bit one finger-tip. “If the mountain — egad, what a man it is! — has borne Prue off there’s naught for me to do. I’ll slip away tonight.”
John nodded. “Ay, but get you into your petticoats again now. I’m off to his lordship. It’s odds he’ll have something to say. I’ll take the valise my lady spoke of, to seem as though I were off to Miss Prue in prison.”
“Drive the curricle,” my lady said.
“Ay, my lady. And you’ll bide here, Master Robin, till I bring word from his lordship.”
Robin got up. “Don’t fear me. I make my escape when everyone’s abed. I’ll await your return safe enough.”
He and my lady had dinner in lonely state in the big dining-room. In the character of Miss Merriot he affected to be quite overcome; my lady, when dinner was over, insisted that poor Kate should lie down in her boudoir with the hartshorn. She led poor Kate thither, and summoned fat Marthe. Fat Marthe was told that my lady did not desire her servants to sit up late. It was to be understood both she and Miss Merriot had gone early to bed. Marthe signified complete understanding, and rolled out again. My lady and Robin sat and talked over the strange events of the day, and the gilt clock on the mantelpiece ticked over the minutes.
At ten o’clock Robin was restive, listening for John, and he began to tap an impatient foot. Why must he delay, a’ God’s name? Marthe came in with hot chocolate, and the news that old Williams had at last taken himself off to bed. The house was very still. Robin went softly away to his chamber, candlestick in hand, and was shut up there for nearly an hour. It was just on eleven when he came back into my lady’s boudoir, and he was dressed in coat and breeches with shining top-boots on his feet, and a sword at his side. He went to the window, and stood looking down the moonlit road, listening.