Mistress Clevering turned angrily toward the door as though she would answer, but the soldiers urged her on, and so it was Betty who called back:—
“That is neighbourly! Tell all you know about your best friends, Mistress Ingrate; we have naught to fear.”
At this Joscelyn laughed loudly, but to Richard the laugh was more hysterical than mirthful, like one under a great nervous strain. He felt his hands involuntarily groping for his pistols, as the opposite light flashed from window to window and he knew his mother was being ordered about by those insolent Redcoats. The candle lingered longest in the attic; but at last it descended, and soon the disappointed soldiers stood in the street empty handed. Tarleton was furious and swore a great oath, but the soldiers protested they had overlooked no nook or corner where a man might conceal himself.
“’Tis a bootless errand, sir; unless, indeed, the man be in this house,” said Tarleton, riding up to Joscelyn’s door. “What say you, shall we search here also?”
Upstairs Richard’s heart stood still, while down below Joscelyn’s head swam. Then her laugh rippled out mockingly.
“Truly, your lordship, that is a reflection upon you and those of your gallant officers who have done me the honour to spend the evening under my roof! I pray you, gentlemen all, turn your pockets wrong side out that Colonel Tarleton may be sure you have not hidden his spy.”
“I jest not, mistress,” answered Tarleton, who owed her a grudge in that she had manifested much personal dislike to himself. “What says your lordship?”
Cornwallis started to reply, and then hesitated; whereupon Joscelyn broke in haughtily:—
“An your lordship doubts my loyalty, pray let the search proceed—the doors are open.”
“Ay, search; and fail not to look in my Lady Ingrate’s wardrobe; ’tis just of a size to hold a man,” came with a scornful laugh from over the way; for Betty was still at her door, and the street was not so wide but that the opposite voices reached her clearly.