‘Ah!’ said the captain, ‘is that so? Well, come in, Radbourne, and eat something while I read these letters. You can tie your horse up to yonder tree; there is a sentinel will have an eye on him.’
‘Thank your honour,’ said the soldier: ‘I shall be none the worse for a comfortable meal. We’ve been on the march since sunrise this morning, and I’ve tasted nothing but a pot of small beer since noonday.’ Having fastened his horse’s bridle to the tree, he soon seated himself at the table, where he made a mighty attack on the stuffed chine, and emptied almost at a draught the brown jug of ale.
While he was thus engaged, the captain was busy reading his despatches and writing a reply to one of them. When he was ready, he called the soldier, and said: ‘Here, Radbourne; you must hurry back with all speed. Give this letter to the Prince, and say that all shall be done as he orders. You had better take your horse to the stable and rub him down and feed him, for it won’t do to break down to-night. But don’t delay starting, and keep your pistols loose.’
‘All right, captain,’ said Radbourne, as he prepared to carry out these directions, at the same time casting a fond look at the empty ale-jug.
The captain saw his glance, and said laughingly: ‘Come, good Mistress Dimbell, get this thirsty soul another draught, and he shall drink it to your health when he’s ready to start.’
When the trooper was gone, Captain Melford went to the door and whistled loudly, whereupon the sergeant of his troop came from a neighbouring cottage, and to him the captain gave certain orders, and then turned back to his interrupted supper. On entering the kitchen again, he found pretty Barbara Dimbell there, and seated in a corner was a rustic youth, who evidently, even in those exciting times, found in Barbara’s smiles an attraction of the most potent kind. Melford greeted him with a friendly smile, for he had found considerable amusement in watching the unsophisticated courtship of these two blushing lovers.
Mrs Dimbell said to him: ‘Come, sir, it’s a shame you can’t have a meal in peace; now, do sit down and finish.’
He looked graver than usual as he resumed his place at the table, and after a while said, almost as if he were speaking to himself: ‘This may be my last meal; who knows? I and my men are to set off by cockcrow, and I fear we shan’t all come back. Perhaps it’s my turn this time.’
‘Well, sir,’ said the farmer’s wife, ‘every bullet has its billet, as the saying is; but don’t be cast down. I hope we shall see you come riding back all right. But, God help us! these are bad times, when a man can’t be sure of his own life, let alone the beasts as he has brought up and the crops he has reaped. There’s our corn-stack has been carried half away this very week as ever was; and if it hadn’t been for your honour speaking up, we should not have had a cow left; and as for Barbara and John coming together, why, it’s my opinion as they’ll have to wait years before we can turn ourselves again.’
The lovers looked up at this new view of things, and stared with undisguised dismay at each other.