“And do not fear, Master John,” said she, “to tell me everything, for you can say nothing that will hurt me more than what I already know. Only I shall be better and happier to know how my dear father died.”
So she sat and listened to what Jack had to tell us of this sad matter, and she held my hand in her own all the while as if she got some comfort from knowing that I was near her.
It was not a long story that Jack had to tell. They had followed the garrison to Newark, and had there found many Royalists who had fled from the Parliamentarians after the fight at Naseby, and in this company they had remained some time, scarcely knowing what to do next. For some talked of one thing and some of another, but nobody seemed to know whether the King would again rally his forces or not. Here and there in the Midlands were houses still fortified against the Parliamentarians, and at various places were gatherings of Royalist troops, but there was no one to direct them, for the King’s army had been entirely disorganized at the battle of Naseby. The Parliamentarians were meanwhile continually engaged in surrounding and disarming the scattered Royalists, and in reducing to subjection such fortresses as the country gentlemen had retreated to, and it was in riding forth to relieve one of these houses that Philip Lisle and Captain Trevor had met their death. For the place was one that was well protected, being naturally strong and surrounded by a deep moat, but the Roundheads had well-nigh starved, the garrison into subjection, when Captain Trevor organized a relieving party and set out to give help to his comrades. Between this expedition and the Parliamentarians a stout fight had resulted, but the enemy vastly outnumbering them, his own party, said Jack, had been beaten, and the garrison subsequently obliged to surrender.
“There were very few of us left to fight in the end,” said Jack, “and Master Lisle and Captain Trevor and myself were cut off from the rest, so that the enemy bade us surrender while there was hope of mercy. But we would have naught of that, and continued to engage them as best we could. And then Master Lisle’s horse was killed under him, so that he was brought to his feet, and Captain Trevor was shot through the heart immediately afterwards, leaving me and Master Lisle fighting back to back. Then I heard him shout behind me, ‘For God and the King!’ in a hearty voice, but presently I felt him reel against me and fall across his horse, and at the same moment my arm was shattered and the pain was so fearful that I fainted and knew no more. But when I came to myself after some time, the fight was over, and Captain Trevor and Master Lisle lay near me, both dead, and with such a peaceful look on their faces that I knew they had felt no pain in their death. By that time the Roundheads had passed away to another part of the field, so I watched my opportunity and captured a horse that was grazing near, and because the enemy was thick between me and Newark I came north, knowing that I could do no more in those parts.”
So that was all that he had to tell us, and my dear love, though she shed many tears while he spoke, was comforted somewhat because she now knew all. However, she often sat near Jack after that, and would ask him to tell her of all that had befallen her father since she had last seen him; whereupon Jack would strive to remember all that Philip had said and done, recalling many incidents that he thought would be pleasing to her.
Now, although it was out of the question for us to be married at that time, both Rose and I felt that our sorrow ought not to stand in the way of Ben’s and Lucy’s happiness, and after a time we begged them to arrange with Parson Drumbleforth for their wedding. But while honest Ben was greatly pleased with us for thinking of him, he would not listen to our proposal.
“Nay, Will,” quoth he, when I told him what we wished, “indeed, neither Lucy nor myself would consent to joys which you and Rose cannot share. Do we not feel for poor Rose as keenly as if it were our own trouble? Marry, and so we ought, for are we not all as one family? So let us wait until spring, when Rose’s first grief will have gained some comfort, and then we will all be married together.”
And with that he wrung my hand and hastened away to his work; for he had become an ardent farmer, and was forever busying himself amongst the sheep or the cattle.
So the time passed on until the spring of , and until then we were allowed to live peaceably upon our land, minding our own business as we did before the war began. There was no fighting, or next to none, that winter, and we were in hopes that the King and the Commons might adjust their differences, and rid the land of that hateful war. We heard little at that time of what was going on. Some said that the Scotch were coming to rescue the King; others, that the Presbyterians and the Independents were about to fight between themselves for supremacy. In the first week of May, , we heard that his Majesty had entered the Scottish camp at Newark, and soon afterwards we learned that the Scotch army, carrying
