The Lady of Blossholme by H. Rider Haggard
CHAPTER XVI
THE VOICE IN THE FOREST
The four were back safe in their lodging in Cheapside, whither, afterthe deeds had been sealed, three soldiers escorted them by command.
"Have we done well, have we done well?" asked Jacob, rubbing his hands.
"It would seem so, Master Smith," replied Cicely, "thanks to you; thatis, if all the King said is really in those writings."
"It is there sure enough," said Jacob; "for know, that with the aid ofa lawyer and three scriveners, I drafted them myself in the LordCromwell's office this morning, and oh, I drew them wide. Hard, hard weworked with no time for dinner, and that was why I was ten minutes lateby the clock, for which Emlyn here chided me so sharply. Still, I'llread them through again, and if aught is left out we will have itrighted, though these are the same parchments, for I set a secret markupon them."
"Nay, nay," said Cicely, "leave well alone. His Grace's mood may change,or the Queen--that matter of the pearl."
"Ah, the pearl, it grieved me to part with that beautiful pearl. Butthere was no way out, it must be sold and the money handed over, ourhonour is on it. Had I refused, who knows? Yes, we may thank God, forif the most of your jewels are gone, the wide Abbey lands have come andother things. Nothing is forgot. Bolle is unfrocked and may wed; CousinStower has got a husband----"
Then Emlyn, who until now had been strangely silent, burst out inwrath----
"Am I, then, a beast that I should be given to this man like a heriotat yonder King's bidding?" she exclaimed, pointing with her finger atBolle, who stood in the corner. "Who gave you the right, Thomas, todemand me in marriage?"
"Well, since you ask me, Emlyn, it was you yourself; once, many yearsago, down in the mead by the water, and more lately in the chapel ofBlossholme Priory before I began to play the devil."
"Play the devil! Aye, you have played the devil with me. There in theKing's presence I must stand for an hour or more while all talked andnever let a word slip between my lips, and at last hear myself called byhis Grace a woman of temper and you a fool for wishing to marry me. Oh,if ever we do marry, I'll prove his words."
"Then perhaps, Emlyn, we who have got on a long while apart, had beststay so," answered Thomas calmly. "Yet, why you should fret because youmust keep your tongue in its case for an hour, or because I asked leaveto marry you in all honour, I do not know. I have worked my best foryou and your mistress at some hazard, and things have not gone so ill,seeing that now we are quit of blame and in a fair way to peace andcomfort. If you are not content, why then, the King was right, and I'ma fool, and so good-bye, I'll trouble you no more in fair weather orin foul. I have leave to marry, and there are other women in the worldshould I need one."
"Tread on their tails and even worms will turn," soliloquized Jacob,while Emlyn burst into tears.
Cicely ran to console her, and Bolle made as though he would leave theroom.
Just then there came a great knocking on the street door, and the soundof a voice crying--
"In the King's name! In the King's name, open!"
"That's Commissioner Legh," said Thomas. "I learned the cry from him,and it is a good one at a pinch, as some of you may remember."
Emlyn dried her tears with her sleeve; Cicely sat down and Jacobshovelled the parchments into his big pockets. Then in burst theCommissioner, to whom some one had opened.
"What's this I hear?" he cried, addressing Cicely, his face as red as aturkey cock's. "That you have been working behind my back; that you havetold falsehoods of me to his Grace, who called me knave and thief; thatI am commanded to pay my fees into the Treasury? Oh, ungrateful wench,would to God that I had let you burn ere you disgraced me thus."
"If you bring so much heat into my poor house, learned Doctor, surelyall of us will soon burn," said Jacob suavely. "The Lady Harflete saidnothing that his Highness did not force her to say, as I know who waspresent, and among so many pickings cannot you spare a single dole?Come, come, drink a cup of wine and be calm."
But Dr. Legh, who had already drunk several cups of wine, would not becalm. He reviled first one of them and then the other, but especiallyEmlyn, whom he conceived to be the cause of all his woes, till at lengthhe called her by a very ill name. Then came forward Thomas Bolle, whoall this while had been standing in the corner, and took him by theneck.
"In the King's name!" he said, "nay, complain not, 'tis your own cryand I have warrant for it," and he knocked Legh's head against thedoor-post. "In the King's name, get out of this," and he gave him such akick as never Royal Commissioner had felt before, shooting him down thepassage. "For the third time in the King's name!" and he hurled himout in a heap into the courtyard. "Begone, and know if ever I see yourpudding face again, in the King's name, I'll break your neck!"
Thus did Visitor Legh depart out of the life of Cicely, though in duecourse she paid him her first year's rent, nor ever asked who took thebenefit.
"Thomas," said Emlyn, when he returned smiling at the memory of thatfarewell kick, "the King was right, I am quick-tempered at times, no illthing for it has helped me more than once. Forget, and so will I,"and she gave him her hand, which he kissed, then went to see about thesupper.
While they ate, which they did heartily who needed food, there cameanother knock.
"Go, Thomas," said Jacob, "and say we see none to-night."
So Thomas went and they heard talk. Then he re-entered followed by acloaked man, saying--
"Here is a visitor whom I dare not deny," whereon they all rose,thinking in their folly that it was the King himself, and not one almostas mighty in England for a while--the Lord Cromwell.
"Pardon me," said Cromwell, bowing in his courteous manner, "and if youwill, let me be seated with you, and give me a bite and a sup, for Ineed them, who have been hard-worked to-day."
So he sat down among them, and ate and drank, talking pleasantly ofmany things, and telling them that the King had changed his mind at theCouncil, as he thought, because of the words of Thomas Bolle, which hebelieved had stuck there, and would not go north to fight the rebelsafter all, but would send the Duke of Norfolk and other lords. Then whenhe had done he pushed away his cup and platter, looked at his hosts andsaid--
"Now to business. My Lady Harflete, fortune has been your friend thisday, for all you asked has been granted to you, which, as his Grace'stemper has been of late, is a wondrous thing. Moreover, I thank you thatyou did not answer a certain question as to myself which I learn he putto you urgently."
"My Lord," said Cicely, "you have befriended me. Still, had he pressedme further, God knows. Commissioner Legh did not thank me to-night," andshe told him of the visit they had just received, and of its ending.
"A rough man and a greedy, who doubtless henceforth will be your enemy,"replied Cromwell. "Still you were not to blame, for who can reason witha bull in his own yard? Well, while I have power I'll not forget yourfaithfulness, though in truth, my Lady of Blossholme, I sit upon aslippery height, and beneath waits a gulf that has swallowed some asgreat, and greater. Therefore I will not deny it, I lay by while I may,not knowing who will gather."
He brooded a while, then went on, with a sigh--
"The times are uncertain; thus, you who have the promise of wealth mayyet die a beggar. The lands of Blossholme Abbey, on which you hold abond that will never be redeemed, are not yet in the King's hands togive. A black storm is bursting in the north and, I say this in secret,the fury of it may sweep Henry from the throne. If it should be so, awaywith you to any land where you are not known, for then after this day'swork here a rope will be your only heritage. More, this Queen, unlikeAnne who is gone, is a friend to the party of the Church, and though sheaffects to care little for such things, is bitter about that pearl, andtherefore against you, its owner. Have you no jewel left that you couldspare which I might take to her? As for the pearl itself, which MasterSmith here swore to me was not to be found in the whole world when heshowed me its fellow, it must be sold as the King commanded," and helooked a
Now Cicely spoke with Jacob, who went away and returned presently witha brooch in which was set a large white diamond surrounded by five smallrubies.
"Take her this with my duty, my Lord," said Cicely.
"I will, I will. Oh! fear not, it shall reach her for my own sake aswell as yours. You are a wise giver, Lady Harflete, who know when andwhere to cast your bread upon the waters. And now I have a gift for youthat perchance will please you more than gems. Your husband, ChristopherHarflete, accompanied by a servant, has landed in the north safe andwell."
"Oh, my Lord," she cried, "then where is he now?"
"Alas! the rest of the tale is not so pleasing, for as he journeyed,from Hull I think, he was taken prisoner by the rebels, who have himfast at Lincoln, wishing to make him, whose name is of account, one oftheir company. But he being a wise and loyal man, contrived to send aletter to the King's captain in those parts, which has reached me thisnight. Here it is, do you know the writing?"
"Aye, aye," gasped Cicely, staring at the scrawl that was ill writ andworse spelt, for Christopher was no scholar.
"Then I'll read it to you, and afterwards certify a copy to multiply theevidence."
"To the Captain of the King's Forces outside Lincoln.
"This to give notice to you, his Grace, and his ministers and allothers, that we, Christopher Harflete, Knight, and Jeffrey Stokes,his servant, when journeying from the seaport whither we had come fromSpain, were taken by rebels in arms against the King and brought hereto Lincoln. These men would win me to their party because the name ofHarflete is still strong and known. So violent were they that we havetaken some kind of oath. Yet this writing advises you that so I onlydid to save my life, having no heart that way who am a loyal man andunderstand little of their quarrel. Life, in sooth, is of small value tome who have lost wife, lands and all. Yet ere I die I would be avengedupon the murderous Abbot of Blossholme, and therefore I seek to keep mybreath in me and to escape.
"I learn that the said Abbot is afoot with a great following withinfifty miles of here. Pray God he does not get his claws in me again, butif so, say to the King, that Harflete died faithful.
"Christopher Harflete.
"Jeffrey Stokes, X his mark."
"My Lord," said Cicely, "what shall I do, my Lord?"
"There is naught to be done, save trust in God and hope for the best.Doubtless he will escape, and at least his Grace shall see this letterto-morrow morning and send orders to help him if may be. Copy it, MasterSmith."
Jacob took the letter and began to write swiftly, while Cromwellthought.
"Listen," he said presently. "Round Blossholme there are no rebels, allof that colour have drawn off north. Now Foterell and Harflete are goodnames yonder, cannot you journey thither and raise a company?"
"Aye, aye, that I can do," broke in Bolle. "In a week I will have ahundred men at my back. Give commission and money to my Lady there andname me captain and you'll see."
"The commission and the captaincy under the privy signet shall be atthis house by nine of the clock to-morrow," answered Cromwell. "Themoney you must find, for there is none outside the coffers of JacobSmith. Yet pause, Lady Harflete, there is risk and here you are safe."
"I know the risk," she answered, "but what do I care for risks who havetaken so many, when my husband is yonder and I may serve him?"
"An excellent spirit, let us trust that it comes from on high," remarkedCromwell; but old Jacob, as he wrote _vera copia_ for his Lordship'ssignature at the foot of the transcript of Christopher's letter, shookhis head sadly.
In another minute Cromwell had signed without troubling to compare thetwo, and with some gentle words of farewell was gone, having biggermatters waiting his attention.
Cicely never saw him again, indeed with the exception of Jacob Smithshe never saw any of those folk again, including the King, who had beenconcerned in this crisis of her life. Yet, notwithstanding his cunningand his extortion, she grieved for Cromwell when some four years laterthe Duke of Suffolk and the Earl of Southampton rudely tore the Garterand his other decorations off his person and he was haled from theCouncil to the Tower, and thence after abject supplications for mercy,to perish a criminal upon the block. At least he had served her well,for he kept all his promises to the letter. One of his last acts alsowas to send her back the pink pearl which he had received as a bribefrom Jacob Smith, with a message to the effect that he was sure it wouldbecome her more than it had him, and that he hoped it would bring her abetter fortune.