He placed a dispatch on the card-table beside her fan and gloves. She saw at once that it was not from Ireland, and she drew a breath between relief and disappointment.
Her glance went swiftly round the faces now undisguisedly watching her, and then she broke the seal.
While she read her bosom heaved, and those nearest her saw the colour faintly stain her face.
She folded up the letter and rose. The ace of spades fell from her lap to the shining floor.
There was a pause of silence. Mary's eyes were the eyes of a creature at bay.
"This is evil news," she said, at length, to Lord Nottingham, and a proud little smile curved her lips.
She had just read that Lord Torrington had been utterly defeated off Beachy Head by the French, who were landed at Tynemouth.
"What will Your Majesty do?" he asked, under his breath. "The courier saith the enemy is in possession of the west——"
She crushed up Lord Torrington's letter in a passionate right hand; she saw that his defeat had been inglorious. The Dutch had been in the van all day and were near annihilated; the English, mere spectators, had drawn off to Plymouth almost untouched.
"The French are landed," she said, "but we English will not let them far advance. I will call upon the city of London. Summon to me the Lord Mayor."