With Ring of Shield Part 14

I heard no more of that which followed, for Richard led the little King into a private room, whither Buckingham followed them. I then took Harleston to a place where no one might overhear our conversation, and told to him my plan of going to London to warn the Queen.

When I had finished my friend thought for some moments ere he remarked on my plan. "No, it should be dangerous for thee to go," said he; "Thou shouldst be missed, and then you might find yourself in the company of Rivers, at Pomfret."

"What then dost thou suggest?" I asked. "Her Majesty must be warned."

"Yes, her Majesty must be warned," he replied, musingly. "Ah! I have it," said he, speaking rapidly. "Send some faithful servant with a letter unto the Queen. Do but tell her that the three have been arrested; sign not thy name, for fear it fall into the wrong hands. A common soldier will not be missed, whereas Sir Walter Bradley should be."

But then I thought of a plan that was better than my friend's; so I retired to a private place, and wrote the following letter, which is now--through the person to whom it was addressed not following a part of mine instructions,--in my possession, and which I hope ye will always preserve after I have gone to join those whose doings I am putting down.

"_With the King, at Stony Stratford._

"LADY HAZEL WOODVILLE;

"_Lady-in-waiting to Her Majesty the Queen, at Westminster._

"Perfectest of maids and truest of sweethearts; I send thee this message that its contents may not be seen by eyes not to be trusted.

No one can suspect this packet to contain news of the greatest importance to the kingdom.

"So soon as thou dost receive this go to the Queen, and tell her that her brother--Lord Rivers--Sir Richard Grey, and Sir Thomas Vaughan, were all three arrested, by order of Duke Richard, as we were entering this place to-day. No offence had been committed by any of these gentlemen. They were at once sent under a strong guard to the Castle of Pomfret. Also tell her Majesty that last night the Duke of Gloucester entertained Lord Rivers, Sir Frederick and me, at supper, and throughout the evening he showed us all prodigious favours.

Therefore his conduct is all the more difficult to understand, if he doth mean to be just.

"I send this by a servant which--though I have not known him long--has. .h.i.therto been faithful; though now it doth seem hard to trust anyone.

"Pray G.o.d that the clouds of trouble may soon pa.s.s over, and the sun of happiness again s.h.i.+ne forth.

"I expect to soon be again upon the road to London; but our progress, methinks, will not be great.

"Destroy this letter when thou shalt have read it.

"I remain, dearest, thy servant unto death,--

"WALTER."

When I had finished this letter I went in search of one of the men which had gone with me to Ludlow. He was the gigantic and good natured Irishman, whose honest and determined face made me to select him in preference to either of his companions, who were better known to me.

"Michael," said I, when I at length found him, "I wish thee to take this packet, and set out for Westminster Palace at once. Spare not thy horse. When thou hast come into the Palace enquire for the Lady Hazel Woodville. Hand her this packet. That is a part of thy duty. The other part is for thee to make sure that thou speakest not of thy message or journey, to anyone."

"In faith, yer honour, ye may dipind on me fer speed and a close mouth.

Oi'll be thare as soon as could the divil, with all his wings; and as fer sacrecy, uh! sure, the d.a.m.ned thumb screws thimsilves could no more draw a wourd through moy teeth than, as the priests sez, ye could pull a camel through the houle in a nadle."

I could not help but smile at the extravagance of his speech; but I put down my head as I fumbled with my purse, for it is not good policy to laugh at one which is about to carry your life in his hand. "Here is gold for thee, that thou mayest not want for aught upon thy way," and I handed him the full of my hand of Gloucester's easily won gold pieces.

I knew that this would lend him the wings of Mercury, and would tie his mouth more tightly; and so it did.

"Hivin bliss yer honour!" said he. "Whoy, Oi can buy out the houle o'

London with sich a fortune."

So the faithful fellow mounted his horse and rode off at such a goodly pace as left no doubt in my mind that my message would reach Hazel in time for the Queen to take whatever action she might think best.

CHAPTER XIII

THE FLIGHT FROM THE PALACE

Hazel was with Mary in their own apartments when she received word that a messenger desired to see her.

"Bid him give thee the message, and do thou bring it here," said Hazel.

The servant went out, but soon returned. "The soldier, madam, doth refuse to put the packet into other hands than thine," said the maid.

"What may this mean?" thought Hazel. "Surely this must be of vast importance," said she to Mary.

"Mayhap 'tis best that thou shouldst see him," said Mary.

The two maids walked down the pa.s.sage to where the man was standing, cap in hand, and as motionless as a pile of armour. However, when he saw the ladies approaching he started forward and, dropping on one knee, he handed the packet to the proper maid, though how he knew her I cannot understand. But then those fellows about the Palace have naught to do but learn who people are and all about them.

"Here is a gold piece for thee," said Hazel, as she reached it toward him.

"No, yer ladys.h.i.+p," he replied, "Oi thank thee much fer thoine offer; but moy master hath alridy given me so much o' the pricious stuff that it's thinkin' Oi am to know what to do with it." With this he saluted them smartly and walked away.

"What is it, Hazel?" asked Mary, when Michael was gone.

Hazel, however, was so deeply engaged with the reading of my letter that she did not hear her companion; so Mary leaned on her friend's shoulder, and read it for herself.

Neither said anything until they had read twice what was writ. "What can it all mean?" asked Mary, at last. Then she read aloud, as though the sound of her voice might make the meaning clearer, as it sometimes doth.

"Hus.h.!.+" said Hazel, as she put her hand over her friend's mouth; "dost thou not see that he commands me to keep this most secret? Come, let us to the Queen, and tell her all."

So they went to her Majesty's apartments; she was talking with her daughter Elizabeth when they entered. "What causes thee to look so troubled, Hazel?" asked the Queen, the moment that they had entered; for my dear girl was badly frightened by the contents of my note.

"I have just received a letter which is of great import to thee,"

answered the maiden; and she handed the Queen the open packet; for her fear had robbed her of any bashfulness she might have felt in having her Majesty see the manner in which I did address her.

The Queen read and reread the letter through, from first to last. At length she seemed to realize the terrible meaning of it all. "Oh! that accursed, hump-back knave, to dare to lift his hand against those which guard and protect the King! No peace shall I now have. He will not stop with Rivers. I shall be the next to feel his tyranny. But I will match him yet!" she cried.

"Send for my son, the Marquis of Dorset," said she, as her eyes flashed and her face became as though carved from marble.

When Dorset arrived, and heard from his mother what had happened to his uncle and his brother, he showed his anger less; but in his cold grey eyes, and firm cut mouth, one might read even greater determination than his mother possessed together with all her quickness of perception.

"Methinks, mother," said he at length, "that thou hadst best leave the Palace, and take refuge in the Sanctuary yonder. Take with thee my dear sisters and our little Prince. Whilst he is not in the power of the boar young Edward shall be safe."

"You counsel well, my son," replied the Queen. "Let us then make haste, and be in safety ere the traitorous cur arrives. Girls, ye must accompany us. Go and make ready, with all expediency, for in haste alone now lies our safety." This latter she addressed to Hazel and Mary, who had remained in the room whilst these things were taking place.

"Oh, Richard," said the Queen, as though he were there before her, "thou shalt suffer for this act of thine! Thou thinkest that by taking from the King the only man in England capable of training his gentle mind in the properest course thou shalt be able to infuse thy murderous thoughts into this helpless innocent, and so use him to thy profit.

The curse of poor old Margaret is now falling upon me, and her prophecy is coming true. But yet," she added, as though to herself, "she cursed him also. Oh, why hath not her curses first fallen upon him; I never did her wrong. Ah, yes, this is my punishment for having caused poor Clarence's death. Would to G.o.d it had been this limping dog that I had asked for, dead. Then all should have been well. Clarence was gentle, and never did me harm. 'Tis indeed G.o.d's curse for my climbing to great heights upon the necks of others that has now fallen upon my head, and bent it low. Where I have stepped on others, now others step on me. It is just, oh Lord, it is just. But oh! merciful Father,"

cried she, as her spirit began to give way, "let all thy wrath fall upon me; for I am the guilty one. Let not the jealousy of Richard bring harm unto others than me. I am to blame, and I alone should suffer." As she finished this speech she stood erect, her face turned heavenward, and her arms upraised in entreaty. As she stood thus her n.o.ble form lost none of that queenly dignity which must ever have marked her as a Queen among women.