“We poor Papists are in trouble again,” he said.  “Mistress Manners, you must let us stay here all night, if you will; and we will be off early in the morning.  There is a party coming to us from Derby—­to-morrow or next day:  it is not known which.”

“Why, yes!  And what party?” said Marjorie, quietly enough, though she must have guessed its character.  The smile left his mouth.

“It is my son that is behind it,” he said.  “I had wondered we had not had news of him!  There is to be a general search for seminarists in the High Peak” (he glanced at Robin), “by order of my lord Shrewsbury.  Your namesake, mistress, Mr. John Manners, and our friend Mr. Columbell, are commissioned to search; and Mr. Fenton and myself are singled out to be apprehended immediately.  Thomas knows that I am at Padley, and that Mr. Eyre will come in there for Candlemas, the day after to-morrow; in that I recognize my son’s knowledge.  Well, I will dispatch my man who brought the news to Mr. Eyre to bid him to avoid the place; and we two, Mr. Alban and myself, will make our way across the border into Stafford.”

“There are none others coming to Padley to-morrow?” asked Marjorie.

“None that I know of.  They will come in sometimes without warning; but I cannot help that.  Mr. Fenton will be at Tansley:  he told me so.”

“How did the news come?” asked Robin.

“It seems that the preacher Walton, in Derby, hath been warned that we shall be delivered to him two days hence.  It was his servant that told one of mine.  I fear he will be a-preparing his sermons to us, all for nothing.”

He smiled bitterly again.  Robin could see the misery in this man’s heart at the thought that it was his own son who had contrived this.  Mr. Thomas had been quiet for many months, no doubt in order to strike the more surely in his new function as “sworn man” of her Grace.  Yet he would seem to have failed.

“We shall not get our candles then, this year either,” smiled Mr. Thomas.  “Lanterns are all that we shall have.”

* * * * *

There was not much time to be lost.  Luggage had to be packed, since it would not be safe for the three to return until at least two or three weeks had passed; and Marjorie, besides, had to prepare a list of places and names that must be dealt with on their way—­places where word must be left that the hunt was up again, and names of particular persons that were to be warned.  Mr. Garlick and Mr. Ludlam were in the county, and these must be specially informed, since they were known, and Mr. Garlick in particular had already suffered banishment and returned again, so that there would be no hope for him if he were once more captured.