"No, he will not be here. All the same, let every door be bolted. But I must away."
She looked at me piteously. She was so changed, this maid Nancy, during the last hour. All her reserve, all her coldness had gone.
"But I will be back before morning," I said, "and then——" I stopped, for my heart grew cold. In very truth, I seemed helpless. She seemed to divine my thoughts, for she concluded the sentence.
"I shall have no care. And yet," and this she said sadly, "O Roger, I cared naught about this—this story of Trevisa's till to-night. If it is true, I shall be dowerless—nameless. I shall take every thing and give you nothing—that is—nothing but—myself."
The last words came coyly, and yet with a sob, and for the moment I cared nothing, even the loss of my old home weighed no more than thistledown. But only for a moment; my destitution rested heavily on me a minute later.
"It is all well," I cried in a tone of confidence I was far from feeling. "Even although Trevisa's story be true, I shall have—but there is not time to tell you now. Wait for me, my love. No harm can come to you to-night—and I will soon be back. I will not knock this time; you may know me by this cry," and I imitated the hoot of a night bird.
Soon after I rode away with a light heart in spite of my cares, and my many doubts. I knew nothing of Otho's plans, and for aught I could tell he might have spies all around the house; but no one molested me. Indeed although I listened carefully all was silent as death, and I concluded that the Killigrews had mustered all their forces in order to be ready when Charles Stuart landed.
When I reached Veryan Bay all was silent. It was perhaps ten o'clock, only two or three hours before the Pretender was supposed to land, but not a soul was visible. I rode across country in order to avoid coming into contact with any of the friends of the Stuarts: for I knew that were I caught it would mean instant death. Every footstep was, I was sure, beset with danger; for while Hugh Boscawen had given me a passport whereby I should be safe among his followers, I knew not where the enemy might be lurking.
Presently I reached the woods just above Veryan Bay, and with as little noise as possible crept along under the trees. A few seconds later I was surrounded by armed men. They had been lying quietly amidst the brushwood until orders for action came. No sooner was my passport seen than I was conducted to Hugh Boscawen.
"Saw you that old man?" I asked.