"This shall be granted," replied Hugh Boscawen. "It would ill beseem that one of your name should be treated with lack of due courtesy. You shall, therefore, ride to your house as a free man might; you shall also be allowed to see your attorney. Furthermore, there is no need that for the present the knowledge of the charges laid against you should become public."
At this I knew not what to think, for I felt myself as it were in a network of difficulties, and knew not whether Hugh Boscawen desired to be my friend or enemy. All the same I determined to make the most of my opportunities. I immediately sent a message to Lawyer Hendy, therefore, asking him to meet me at Trevanion, and tried to think of means whereby I could tell Mistress Nancy of the fate which had befallen me, or, better still, to see her. Nothing, however, occurred to me on my journey home; indeed I was kept busy talking with my guardsmen, who, although they treated me respectfully, watched me closely. Once I thought of attempting flight, but I reflected that such a course would be unwise, even if it were possible. Besides, being unarmed, I was very nearly helpless in such a matter.
I had not long returned to Trevanion when Lawyer Hendy came. He listened very attentively to my recital of my experiences, but made no comment thereon. Instead he sat quibbling the end of his riding-whip, like one in deep thought.
"What is the meaning of this?" I asked presently.
"I cannot tell—yet."
"You think Otho Killigrew has some deep-laid purpose?"
"Possibly. Possibly he is only inspired by a spirit of revenge. But enough of that for the present. What do you wish done while you are away at—that is, from home?"
"Before I deal with that," I cried, "I wish to know what happened at Treviscoe last night?"
"Last night? Nothing."
"Nothing?"