“My lord duke,” replied Dick, stoutly
enough, but with a qualm at heart, “I have not
even the good fortune to return with my command.
I have been, so please your grace, well beaten.”
Gloucester looked upon him with a formidable frown.
“I gave you fifty lances, {3} sir,” he
said.
“My lord duke, I had but fifty men-at-arms,”
replied the young knight.
“How is this?” said Gloucester.
“He did ask me fifty lances.”
“May it please your grace,” replied Catesby,
smoothly, “for a pursuit we gave him but the
horsemen.”
“It is well,” replied Richard, adding,
“Shelton, ye may go.”
“Stay!” said Lord Foxham. “This
young man likewise had a charge from me. It
may be he hath better sped. Say, Master Shelton,
have ye found the maid?”
“I praise the saints, my lord,” said Dick,
“she is in this house.”
“Is it even so? Well, then, my lord the
duke,” resumed Lord Foxham, “with your
good will, to-morrow, before the army march, I do
propose a marriage. This young squire—”
“Young knight,” interrupted Catesby.
“Say ye so, Sir William?” cried Lord Foxham.
“I did myself, and for good service, dub him
knight,” said Gloucester. “He hath
twice manfully served me. It is not valour of
hands, it is a man’s mind of iron, that he lacks.
He will not rise, Lord Foxham. ’Tis a
fellow that will fight indeed bravely in a mellay,
but hath a capon’s heart. Howbeit, if he
is to marry, marry him in the name of Mary, and be
done!”
“Nay, he is a brave lad—I know it,”
said Lord Foxham. “Content ye, then, Sir
Richard. I have compounded this affair with Master
Hamley, and to-morrow ye shall wed.”
Whereupon Dick judged it prudent to withdraw; but
he was not yet clear of the refectory, when a man,
but newly alighted at the gate, came running four
stairs at a bound, and, brushing through the abbey
servants, threw himself on one knee before the duke.
“Victory, my lord,” he cried.
And before Dick had got to the chamber set apart for
him as Lord Foxham’s guest, the troops in the
holm were cheering around their fires; for upon that
same day, not twenty miles away, a second crushing
blow had been dealt to the power of Lancaster.
The next morning Dick was afoot before the sun, and
having dressed himself to the best advantage with
the aid of the Lord Foxham’s baggage, and got
good reports of Joan, he set forth on foot to walk
away his impatience.
For some while he made rounds among the soldiery,
who were getting to arms in the wintry twilight of
the dawn and by the red glow of torches; but gradually
he strolled further afield, and at length passed clean
beyond the outposts, and walked alone in the frozen
forest, waiting for the sun.
His thoughts were both quiet and happy. His
brief favour with the Duke he could not find it in
his heart to mourn; with Joan to wife, and my Lord
Foxham for a faithful patron, he looked most happily
upon the future; and in the past he found but little
to regret.
