“Which we leave to your discretion, knowing none ourselves,” put in Buckingham.
“—in some way gain entrance to the palace. You must deliver the King his packet into the Prince his hands, and bring back an answer. That is the whole plan in rough, my lord.”
“Neat, eh, my lord?” said Buckingham lazily. “You must take care, however, to allay the spies’ suspicion. In all probability they will be with you on the boat, but no doubt you will contrive to shake them off during the journey, even as they do arrive at the Hague to meet you.”
Ashley broke in.
“The other matter, which is of great importance, my lord, is the manner of your departure.”
“Surely an escort as far as Harwich … ?” asked Villiers, surprised. “He cannot then come to much harm this side of the water.”
“Your Grace is pleased to make a mock of me,” retorted Ashley with quiet dignity. “My Lord Roxhythe, you have no suggestion to put forward?”
Roxhythe left off playing with the tassel of his glove and looked up.
“Why no, sir. Unless it might be that I should fall under the displeasure of His Majesty and be forced to leave the country for a spell.”
Ashley brought the knuckles of his right hand into the palm of his left.
“You have hit on it, sir! Why, it is the very thing! A public rebuff; coldness from His Majesty! It lends verisimilitude to the affair at once!”
Villiers looked curiously across at my lord.
“So you’ll do that, eh?”
“Why not, sir?” Roxhythe opened his eyes rather wide.
“Damme if I would!” remarked his Grace. “Well, well! what next?”
Ashley started to fidget with some papers lying on the table. His face became more harassed than ever.
“There is one other matter which I hardly like to mention to your lordship. And that is—plainly speaking—the—ah—in spite of His Majesty’s—I may say—very straitened circumstances—it is the—er—”
Buckingham burst into a great laugh.
“Odd’s blood, but the man stumbles like a cat on hot bricks! ’Tis the payment that he tries to speak of, Roxhythe!”
“We—leave it to your lordship’s discretion, of course.”
“You’ll need to have a vast amount of that discretion!” chuckled the Duke.
“Your Grace!—to your lordship’s discretion—how much money you should require for the expenses of the journey.” He stopped, and glanced with some anxiety into my lord’s ironic eyes.
Buckingham drawled something about the King’s purse that made my lord’s hand clench suddenly on the glove he held. Ashley’s discomfiture amused him. He prolonged it for some moments. Then he began to speak, very slowly.
“Set your minds at rest, gentlemen. His Majesty knows I shall not ask him for money.” He paused, frowning. A little sneering laugh from Villiers affected him not a whit. Ashley watched him closely. “One thing, however, I must have.”
“Oho!” Buckingham flashed a look at Ashley.
“May we know what that is, sir?” asked Ashley.
Roxhythe toyed again with his glove.
“I require a gentleman to go with me.”
The relief on both men’s faces was ludicrous.
“Well, sir!” said Ashley briskly. “That is no such great matter!”
Roxhythe was pained.
“Pardon me, sir. I mean a man who may be to some extent cognizant of the intrigue; who will be loyal to me; who will transact all the business of transport for me; who will take orders from no one but me; who will act in implicit obedience to me. In short, gentlemen, one who is trustworthy and discreet.”
Buckingham stared at him gloomily.
“In these days!” he said, patiently exasperated. “Really, my lord!”
But Ashley had his finger to his teeth, biting the nail.
“You hear, sir?” asked Buckingham.
“Ay. I hear,” murmured Ashley, abstractedly. “Wait!”
“He knows of such a man!” breathed Buckingham. “Well, well!” He crossed his legs, and surveyed his gay rosettes.
“You have no one in mind, Lord Roxhythe?” asked Ashley, suddenly.
“I? No.”
“How should he?” sneered the Duke.
“Then I believe I know the man you seek.”
“That is very good hearing, sir. Who is he?”
“He is by name Dart. Christopher Dart. He is little more than a boy, it’s true, but I knew his father well, and I know his brother. I could vouch for his character. They come of a very old Suffolk family, and they are intensely patriotic. Chris came to my house only last week, asking me if I had work for him. I did promise to keep him in mind. He is the very man you want, my lord, and more than ever so as his brother is in the Prince his service at the Hague.”
Even Buckingham was roused.
“Roxhythe his difficulties fade before this youth,” he remarked. Roxhythe laid down his glove.
“Proceed, sir, I beg of you!”
“The boy will serve you faithfully enough; of that I am sure. As to his brother, Roderick, he was placed with His Highness by De Witt himself, so he is not suspected by the Prince his governors. Young Christopher spoke of him when I saw him. He told me that Roderick has learnt to worship the Prince, and would die for him, and much more heroic talk beside. If you can use Christopher to gain his brother, half your difficulty is gone!”
“Why, so it seems!” bowed Roxhythe. “I am indebted to you, sir.”
“I will send to Chris to come to see me tomorrow,” continued Ashley. “Unless you yourself will see him, sir?”
“Where does the prodigal lodge?” inquired Roxhythe.
“In Milford Lane—Number seven.”
“I’ll visit him myself, then, sir, and learn his mind. I may use your name?”
“Surely, my lord!”
“Then he will run to you to hear your advice, and, acting on it, accept the post of secretary which I offer.”
Ashley saw the wisdom of this.
“Very well, sir. And for the rest?”
“I’ll wait
