“You remember, John?”
“Yes, sir.” John was holding the mare in readiness for Prudence.
She came to him, and took the bridle. She had very little doubt of her destination now. “You’ll keep Robin safe, John?”
“Ay, trust me, mistress.”
The twinkle crept up. “What, will you leave me to the large gentleman?”
“I will,” said John, and exerted himself to say more. “And I’d not wish you in better hands, Miss Prue. You’ll do as he says, and come to no harm. Up with you!”
She put her foot into his hand, and was flung up into the saddle. Beside her Sir Anthony sat on the roan again.
“Good luck to you, sir,” John said. “You don’t need to fret over Master Robin, mistress.”
“Get him away tonight,” Sir Anthony said, and reached down his hand. “It was a good rough and tumble, John.”
John flushed unwontedly, and after a moment’s hesitation gripped the outstretched hand. “It was, sir. Goodbye, sir.”
The roan was pressed forward to the mare’s side; together they moved forward through the wood.
XXVIII
Exit Miss Merriot
Easterly Woods lay but two miles, across country, from my Lady Lowestoft’s house, and John covered the distance swiftly. He came to the house by the river as the lamps were lit, and found my lady waiting in the hall, and Sir Anthony’s chaise in the drive outside. He pulled off his hat and spoke before my lady could open her mouth. “I took Mr. Merriot’s message to Sir Anthony, my lady,” he said in a voice loud enough to carry to the listening lackeys by the door.
My lady’s black eyes snapped. “Yes?” she said. “And he said?”
“I was to tell you, my lady, he would not think of troubling you by coming here since Mr. Merriot was took off. I’ve a note for his man.”
“Bah, it is a mistake the most absurd!” cried my lady. “Mr. Merriot will return at once! Where does Sir Anthony go?”
“He did say, my lady, he would turn off to visit a friend,” John answered. He remembered the mare, and added apologetically: “The mare cast a shoe, my lady, and I made bold to leave her with the smith.”
My lady nodded. Her eyes searched John’s face, but could read nothing therein. “Your mistress is in a sad way,” she informed him, with considerable meaning.
“Yes, my lady? Should I give the note to Sir Anthony’s man?”
“Do so at once, of course. Then come to put up a change of clothes for Mr. Merriot. You must take them to him on the instant. To snatch him away in that fashion with never a moment to pack a valise—affreux!” She swept round, and went off up the wide stairs.
John stayed but to give Sir Anthony’s note to his man, and followed my lady to Robin’s room. He entered without ceremony and found his young master in coat and breeches, pulling on his top-boots.
“For the love of God, John, will you make him listen to reason?” besought my lady.
Robin’s fair face was set in uncompromising lines. He threw my lady an impatient glance. “Oh enough, ma’am, enough! Do you suppose I shall sit here while my sister’s hailed off under escort?”
John shut the door behind him. “She’s safe, sir.”
Robin’s hands left tugging at his boot. “What?”
“Sir Anthony has her, sir. He’s ridden off with her into Hampshire, and he bid me tell you he would keep her safe.”
My lady gasped. Robin turned in his chair to face John. “Good gad!” he said. “The mountain! But how, man, how?”
John became quite animated. “Sir, you couldn’t have done it better! No, nor my lord either. There’s a coach well on the way to London with two men trussed up inside it, the horses kicked over the traces, and the whole in an uproar.” He laughed at the thought of it.
My lady sat down on the edge of the bed. “Sir Anthony did this?” she said incredulously. “Never!”
“We did it between us, my lady, but ’twas Sir Anthony planned it. Ay, there’s a cool head to be sure! ’Deed I’ve not seen his equal with a horse, Master Robin. It’s a wizard he is.”
“But tell!” ordered my lady, striking her hands together.
Robin’s eyes were bright and questioning. “Let’s have it from the start, John, if you please.”
“Ay, sir. You’ve to know I was off to my lord the instant those two vultures had Miss Prue off into the coach. Well, I know a way over the fields, and I could get ahead fast enough. I came on Sir Anthony riding down here, and he had the tale out of me.” John smiled. “He wouldn’t have me go to his lordship; he said ’twas his affair. That’s a man I don’t care to cross, Master Robin. He planned it we were to hold the coach up and get Miss Prue safe away. He’d be off with her to his sister, so he said, and I was to get you away this very night, sir. And so I will,” he added, with a touch of truculence.
“Never mind that.” Robin brushed it aside. “Do you tell me Sir Anthony planned to waylay this coach, and make off with a captive of the Law?”
“Oh, he made nothing of that, sir! We was both muffled to the eyes, and Sir Anthony had his sword out. We waited in a bit of a spinney till the coach rounded a bend in the road. Sir Anthony, he said to me, ‘Take them in a charge.’ But there was no doing it his way. Leastways, not for me, and I thought I could ride, so I did. He had the roan under him: you’ll
