In the Wars of the Roses: A Story for the Young

by Evelyn Everett-Green

  Chapter 4: Paul's Kinsman.

  "Kinsman--marry, a brother in very sooth!" cried the hospitablefarmer, eying Paul's young companion with a glance of shrewdadmiration and surprise; "and right welcome shall he be to suchgood cheer as my poor house can afford.

  "And how found you your brother, fair youth?--for it can scarcehave been chance that led you here. My guest spoke not of bringingyou home when he started forth today."

  "Nay, he knew it not himself," answered the prince, laughingmerrily. "Nor is he my brother, good mine host: our kinship is aless close one than that, for all that we favour each other sowell. He had no thought of the encounter when he started forthtoday, but kind fortune guided us to the meeting. As children weloved each other and played together, but for years we have notmet. I am nought but a solitary wanderer, without friends or home.It has been a happy chance that has brought to me this trustycomrade and the welcome of this hospitable home."

  There was something so attractive in the aspect and speech of theroyal youth that all who heard him felt their hearts go out to him,they knew not why. The farmer laid his horny hand on the lad's arm,and cried in his jovial way:

  "All travellers, be they gentle or simple, are welcome at Figeon'sFarm, and doubly so anyone who claims kinship with our guest andvery good friend Paul Stukely. And you come at a good time, too,young sir; for we have a wedding feast in prospect, and we shallwant all the blithe company we can assemble to make merry at it.

  "Come, my wench; you need not run away. You are not ashamed ofhonest Will; and these gentlemen will doubtless honour our poorhome by remaining our guests a while longer, that they may tread ameasure at your marriage feast."

  Paul looked smilingly at the blushing Joan, whose face was alightwith happiness, and her father continued laughingly:

  "Oh ay, they have made it up together this very day; and poor Will,who has been courting her these three years and more, cannot seewhat there is to wait for--no more can I. For my part, since thatrascally Simon tried to carry off the girl, I have known no peaceabout her. Figeon's is a lonely place, and the young know not howto be cautious, and it's ill work for young blood to be cooped upever between four walls. Down in the village, with neighbours abouther, the wench will be safe enough, and Will's sturdy arm will beher best protection. Simon might think twice about assaulting awedded woman to carry her away, when he would count a maid fairspoil, seeing that he ever claimed to be called a lover of hers. Soall ways she will be safer wed, and I see no cause for them towait."

  And indeed in those unsettled and troubled times fathers were gladenough to get their daughters safely married at the firstreasonable opportunity. Farmer Devenish had another reason inwishing Joan to leave her home. He was afraid that she might imbibethe views her mother had embraced, and which he and his son couldnot but give credence to, whilst they made no protest of havingaltered their old way of thinking. But he had always forbidden hiswife to disturb Joan in her pious faith in the old religion. Suchhard matters, he said, were not for young wenches; and the perilwhich menaced those who embraced the reformed doctrines wassufficiently terrible for the mother to be almost glad of theprohibition. It would be an awful thing for her if her daughterfell under the ban of the law, and was made to answer for her faithas some had been in so cruel a fashion before now.

  So that there was no wish on the part of any at the old home tohinder her marriage, and as soon as the young people had come to anunderstanding with one another, their way was made perfectly plainby those in authority.

  Joan looked shyly at Paul as he crossed the kitchen with somepleasant word of congratulation, and said:

  "In faith, kind sir, I think we owe it all to you. Will tells me itwas you who sent him hither today. He had got some foolish notionin his head which kept him away; but he said it was you who bid himtake heart and try his luck."

  "And very good luck he has had, it seems," answered Paul, laughing."And so the marriage is to be next week?"

  "My father and mother wish it so," answered the blushing Joan; "andmy mother has long had all my household linen spun against thewedding day. I trust you will stay, and your kinsman also.Perchance you have never before seen a rustic wedding."

  "Not for many years now," answered Paul, with a smile and a sigh;"and I would fain be a witness of yours, fair mistress. But I mustask my young companion there. We have linked our lives together forthe nonce."

  But young Edward was perfectly willing to be the farmer's guest forawhile. Nothing could better have fitted in with his own wishesthan to have stayed in such unquestioned fashion beneath the roofof one of his humble subjects. At the supper table that night hewon all hearts by the grace of his manners, the sweetness of hissmiles, his ready courtesy to all, and the brilliant sallies thatescaped his lips which set the whole table sometimes in a roar. Hepossessed that ready adaptability to circumstances which is oftenan attribute of the highest birth. The motherly heart of MistressDevenish went out to him at once, and she would fain have knownsomething of his history, and how it came that so fair and gentle ayouth was wandering thus alone in the wide world.

  Paul had told her all his story without the least reserve; but thiskinsman of his was more reticent, and if asked a question,contrived to turn the edge off it without appearing to avoid givinga direct answer. But Mistress Devenish was acute enough to perceivethat he did not intend to speak of his own past; and noting theunconscious deference paid by Paul to one whom seniority would havegiven him the right to dictate to and lead, she came to theconclusion that, kinsfolk or no, the newcomer was of a more exaltedrank than his comrade, and that some romantic history attached tohim, as it did only too often, to wanderers in those days. Herinterest in him only deepened as she reached this conclusion, andshe wished that she knew how to help the two lonely youths whosefates seemed now to be linked together.

  Supper was in course, and the whole party assembled round thetable, when a knock at the outer door, heralded by a great barkingof dogs without, caused one of the men to start to his feet; whilstJoan turned red and pale, as she had had a trick of doing of late;and the farmer looked a trifle uneasy, as a man may do who is halfafraid of some domestic visitation of an unpleasing kind.

  But when the door was opened, brows cleared and anxious looksvanished; for the visitor was none other than the peddler of a fewdays back, who, contrary to custom, had paid a second visit to thevillage within a week of the first.

  "Good even, good folks," he said, stepping in with his heavy bags,which he deposited with a grunt upon the floor. "You will wonder tosee me so soon again, but I was turned from my course by thebreaking down of the bridge at Terling, and so I thought I wouldtramp back the way I had come. Reaching the village at sundown, Iheard the news of the wedding that is to be up here; and, thoughtI, surely where a wedding is to be the peddler is always welcome.So here I am, and I doubt not you will give me a night's shelter;and the pretty maid is welcome to turn over my packs at herleisure, whilst I take my ease in yon cozy inglenook."

  The peddler was always a welcome guest in those days, and Peter waseagerly welcomed by all. He was speedily seated at the board, thebest of everything heaped upon his trencher; whilst as he talkedand ate at the same time, doing both with hearty goodwill, Joan andone of the serving wenches slipped away to the tempting packs andundid the strings, handling the wares thus exposed with tender careand delighted curiosity.

  The father laughed as he saw his daughter thus employed, but bidher choose the finest stuff to make herself a wedding kirtle;whilst he himself turned again to the peddler, asking news of therealm; and young Edward leaned his elbows on the table with hishead in his hands, listening eagerly to every word that passed.

  Paul almost wished he would not thus listen, for it was the sameold story everywhere: discontent at the present state of things;longing for "the king"--by which was meant Edward the Fourth--tocome back and reclaim the kingdom; gloomy prognostications of civilwar; hopes that the proud Earl of Warwick would change sides oncemore--a thing many quit
e expected of him.

  And invective against the feeble Henry and the warlike andrevengeful Margaret of Anjou, scornfully called "the Frenchwoman,"ran so high that Paul presently drew his kinsman away, and tried tointerest him in other matters.

  "Heed them not, my lord," he whispered. "We know there have everbeen two factions in the kingdom, and in these parts they are allfor the House of York. But the coming of this peddler may be goodfor you. Said you not that you wished to purchase a riding dress?His wares are good and not too costly for narrow purses. Since wemean to ride to London shortly, this were no bad time to furnishyourself with such things as you need for the journey."

  Edward roused himself with an effort, and shook off the melancholywhich had crept over his face as he listened to the talk round thetable. The peddler's wares were being unpacked and handed round forinspection in a free and easy fashion enough; but the man made noobjection, and only kept a pretty keen watch upon his property,glancing from time to time at the stranger youth with rather markedscrutiny, which, however, the latter did not observe.

  There was a riding dress amongst the goods of the peddler somewhatsimilar to the one recently purchased by Paul, and Edward decidedupon the purchase of it, if he could come to terms with the man. Heand Paul both desired to make some present to the bride, and pickedout, the one an elegant high-peaked headdress, such as the ladiesof the day loved to wear, though satirists made merry at theexpense of their "exalted horns;" the other, some of the long goldpins to fasten both cap and hair which were equally acceptable asan adjunct to a lady's toilet.

  Edward brought his purchases over to the corner where the peddlerhad ensconced himself, and addressed him in a low tone:

  "See here, my good fellow. I am a wanderer from foreign parts; andmy servant, who had charge of my moneybag, lost his life, I fearme, in trying to effect the landing on these shores, which I waslucky enough to manage in safety. Thus it comes about that I havebut little gold about me. But your trade is one that barters allkinds of gear, and I have this pearl clasp to offer to you in partexchange for what I wish to take of you, so doubtless you willfurnish me over and above with money to put in my gipsire: for theclasp is a valuable one, as any one who knows gems can see at aglance; nor would I part with it, but that necessity compels me."

  The peddler looked at the clasp attentively, and then gave such aquick, keen look at the prince as would have aroused Paul's anxietyhad he been near at hand. But he had not observed his comrade'slast move, and was still patiently holding out stuffs in goodnatured if rather clumsy man fashion for the farmer's wife anddaughter to take stock of and compare one with another.

  "Hum--yes--a pretty trinket and a costly one, I doubt not, forthose that have a market for such things," returned the peddler."And how came you by it, young sir? It scarce seems in accord withthe simplicity of your dress and appointments."

  Edward flushed slightly. He was not used to being taken to task,and that by a common peddler; but his common sense told him that hemust expect such treatment now, and not be over ready to takeoffence, so he answered quietly enough:

  "It has been in our family these many years. I know not how it camethere first. I trow I am not the only youth who has jewels by himin these days little in keeping with the bravery of his othergarments."

  The peddler nodded his head with a smile.

  "True, true, young sir; I meant no offence. Fortunes are lost andwon but too quickly in these times, and will be again, I misdoubtme, ere England sees peace and prosperity once more. But at leastthe vultures fatten if honest folks starve; and what care princeshow their subjects suffer, so as they and their nobles divide thespoil?"

  "Nay, now, you wrong them," cried the lad with sudden heat. "He isunworthy the name of prince who could thus think or act."

  Then pulling himself up quickly, as if afraid he had said too much,he returned to the matter of the bargain, and asked what thepeddler would allow for the jewel.

  The offer was not a very liberal one, but the man professed thatjewels were difficult to get rid of, and Edward was no hand atmaking a bargain. However, when he had paid for his purchases hehad a few gold pieces to put in his pouch, and he reflected that inLondon he should be able to dispose of the other jewels in hispossession to better advantage. He had enough now to purchase ahorse to take him to London, and for the present that was all herequired.

  He and Paul shared the same room at night, and talked in low tonesfar on into the small hours. Edward, who had suffered manyhardships and privations since leaving the French court, was gladenough of a few days' rest in the hospitable farmhouse, and of theopportunity of hearing all the village gossip which the weddingfestivity would give him. But after that event he desired to pushon to London, to learn what he could of public feeling in the greatmetropolis.

  "For, Paul," he said, gravely and almost sadly, "the city of Londonis like the heart of the nation. If that beat with enmity to ourcause and love to our foes, I fear me all is lost before a blow hasbeen struck. I know we have loyal friends in the west, and in someof those fair towns like Coventry and Lichfield; but if London beagainst us, that rich merchant city, the pride and wonder of theworld, I have little heart or hope of success. Folks ever talk asif London were Yorkist to the core; but I yet have hopes thatamongst her humbler citizens there may beat hearts warm in Henry ofLancaster's cause. At least I will go thither and see with my owneyes, and hear with my own ears. Disguised as we shall be, we shallhear the truth, and all men who are lukewarm will be incliningtoward the cause that has the mighty King Maker, as they call him,in its ranks. We shall hear the best that is to be heard. If thebest be bad, I shall know that our cause is hopeless indeed."

  Paul pressed the hand he held, but said nothing. He feared only toowell what they would hear in London. But yet, inasmuch as he wasyoung and ardent, he hoped even whilst he feared; and talking andplanning their future in glowing colours, both the lads fellasleep.

  The following days were bright and busy ones at the farm. Thepeddler had vanished ere the travellers were downstairs nextmorning; but they had bought all they required overnight, and didnot trouble about that. There was a great stirring throughout thehouse, and the needles of mistress and maid were flying swiftlywhilst the short daylight lasted.

  Edward and Paul spent the morning hours in the selection of a horsefit to carry the prince on his journey to London, and the farmer'sson brought all the spare colts and lighter steeds into the strawyard for their guest to try and select for himself. There was nohorse quite so handsome or well bred as Sultan, and Paul was eagerfor Edward to accept his steed in place of another. But the princeonly laughed and shook his head, in the end selecting a finechestnut colt only just broken to the wearing of the halter; andthe kinsmen spent the best part of the next days in teaching themettlesome though tractable creature how to answer to the rein andsubmit to saddle and rider. It was shod at Ives's forge, andchristened by the name of Crusader, and soon learned to love thelads, who, whilst showing themselves masters of its wildest moods,were yet kindly and gentle in their handling.

  The young prince was in great spirits during these days. He hadbeen all his life somewhat too much under the close restraint of anaffectionate but dictatorial mother, and had been master of none ofhis own actions. Such restraint was galling to a high-spiritedyouth; and although the sweetness of disposition inherited from hisfather had carried the prince through life without rebellion orrepining, yet this foretaste of liberty was very delightful, andthe romance of being thus unknown and obscure, free to go where hewould unquestioned and unmarked, exercised a great fascination overhim, and made him almost forget the shadow which sometimes seemedto hang over his path.

  Paul was as light hearted as his companion in the main, thoughthere were moments when his joy at having his adored prince underhis care was dashed by the feeling of responsibility in such acharge, and by the fear of peril to the hope of the House ofLancaster. He wondered if it were his fancy that the farm waswatched; that there were often stealthy steps hea
rd without in thenight--steps that set the dogs barking furiously, but which nevercould be accounted for next day; that if he rode or walked down thecart road to the village alone or with his comrade, their movementswere followed by watchful eyes--eyes that seemed now and again toglare at him, as in the dusk that first evening, but which alwaysmelted away into the shadows of the forest if looked at closely orfollowed and tracked.

  He was disposed to think it all the trick of an excitedimagination, but he began to be not sorry that the day fordeparture was drawing near. If he had provoked the enmity of therobber chief, or if by a remoter chance the identity of hiscompanion had been suspected, it would be better to be off withoutmuch more delay so soon as the wedding should be over.

  Joan herself was nervous and fearful, and seldom set foot outsidethe door of her home. She sometimes said with a shiver that she wascertain there were fierce men hiding about the house ready to carryher off if she did; and though her father and brother laughed ather fear, they humoured her, and were willing enough to let herkeep safe at home: for Simon Dowsett was not a man to be trifledwith, and he might very likely have heard before now that the womanhe had vowed to make his wife was to be given in marriage to hisrival.

  The days, however, fled by without any event to arouse realdisquiet, and on the morrow Joan would pass to the sturdy keepingof the young smith, whose new house stood well flanked between hisfather's dwelling and the forge in the heart of the village wherelaw-abiding persons dwelt in fair security.

  The eve of the marriage day had come and gone. The household hadretired to rest. Paul and Edward were in their raftered room, whichwas better lighted by the fire of logs than by the feeble rushlight glimmering on the table. Fuel was so plentiful in that woodedcountry that all the hearths blazed in cold weather with thesputtering pine logs, which gave out an aromatic scent pleasant tothe nostril.

  As they closed the door behind them, Edward laid a hand upon hiscompanion's arm and said:

  "Good Paul, shall we two hold a vigil this night? I misdoubt methat some mischief is meditated toward Mistress Joan this night. Iwould that we might keep watch and ward."

  "With all my heart," answered Paul readily, instinctively layinghis hand upon his poniard. "But what makes you think that evil isintended?"

  "I scarce know, but so it is. Noted you not how quiet and sluggishthe dogs were at suppertime tonight? They would scarce come toreceive a morsel of meat, and as often as not turned away inindifference, and curled themselves to sleep again. Indoors and outthey are all alike. And did you not hear Jack Devenish say as hecame in from his last round that he feared the great black watchdogin the yard would not live till morning, he seemed so sick and outof sorts? I wondered then that no one thought strange hands hadbeen tampering with them; but all the farmer said was that hesupposed they had gorged themselves upon the refuse meat of thesheep they had been killing--and I liked not to say ought to alarmthem, for it may be as they say, and surely they ought best toknow."

  "Nevertheless we may well make ourselves watchdogs for tonight,"said Paul. "If evil is meant against the girl, this is the lastchance that bold Devil's Own, as they call him, will have ofgetting her into his power. They all call him a desperate fellow,and he will know that after the hard day's toil to have all inreadiness for the morrow the household will sleep sound tonight.Why, even the maid had sleeping draught of spiced wine given her byher mother, that she might look her best in her bridal kirtletomorrow. I think they all pledged themselves in the same bowl.

  "I warrant there will be no watchers but ourselves tonight. Whatsay you to look to our weapons and take the task upon ourselves?"

  Edward's eyes gave ready response. What youths do not love the ideaof facing the foe, and outwitting the cowardly cunning of those whohave planned an attack upon a sleeping household? Paul thought hehad been right now in fancying the house watched; but probably thehope of the watchers had rather been to find and carry off the girlthan to take vengeance upon himself. He understood it all now, andwas eager to defeat them a second time.

  The nights were almost at their longest now, and the cold was verygreat; but the watchers piled fresh logs upon the fire, and talkedquietly to each other as they sat in the dancing glow--for therushlight had long since gone out. Midnight had passed. All wasintensely still, and sleep seemed disposed to steal upon theirsenses in spite of their resolution to banish his presence. Paulwas just about to suggest to his companion that he should lie downawhile on the bed and indulge in a nap, whilst he himself keptwatch alone, when the prince laid a hand upon his arm, and grippedhim tight in a fashion which told that his quick ears had heardsomething.

  The next moment Paul heard the same himself--stealthy sounds as ofapproaching footsteps, which paused beneath the window and thenseemed to steal round the house. It was useless to look out of thewindow, for the night was dark as pitch, and they themselves mightbe seen; but they glanced at each other, and Paul whisperedexcitedly:

  "It is to Mistress Joan's room they will find their way. I heard asound as though a ladder was being brought out. They will climb toher window, force it open, and carry her away.

  "Hark! that was the whinny of a horse. They are mounted, and thinkto baffle pursuit by their speed and knowledge, of the wood. Thereis no time to lose. Call up the farmer and his son. I know which isMistress Joan's room. I will keep guard there till you come."

  Paul knew every inch of the house by heart; but Edward was lessfamiliar with its winding passages and crooked stairs. However, heknew the position of the rooms occupied by the farmer and his son,and groped his way thither; whilst Paul, with more certain step,sped lightly along another passage toward the room in which he knewJoan slept, not far from the serving wenches, but by no means nearthe men of the place.

  All seemed profoundly quiet as he moved through the sleeping house;but he had scarce reached the door of the maiden's room before heheard the sound of a startled, muffled cry.

  In a second he had burst open the door and had sprung in. The sightwhich met his gaze showed how truly he had guessed. The window wasopen, and upon a ladder, with his body half in the room, was asooty-faced man, holding in his hand a flaring torch to light themovements of his companion. This companion was already in the room;he was in the very act of lifting from the bed the form of thebride elect, who was so wrapped and smothered in the bed clothesthat she was unable either to cry aloud or to resist. Paul couldnot see the face of the ruffian who was thus molesting her, andknew not whether it was Simon Dowsett or another in his employ; buthe was disposed to think it was the captain himself, from thestalwart proportions of his frame and the gigantic strength heplainly possessed, of which he had heard so many stories told.

  This man was so engrossed in his efforts of lifting and carryingaway the struggling girl that he did not know it was any voice butthat of his companion which had uttered the exclamation he hadheard; and Paul, seeing that his presence was undetected, rushedstraight across the room toward the window, grasped the ladder inboth hands, and before the astonished ruffian upon it had recoveredhis surprise sufficiently to grapple with him, had flung the ladderand its occupant bodily to the ground, where the man lay groaningand swearing on the frost-bound stones beneath.

  The torch had fallen within the room, and Paul snatched it up andstuck it in a crevice of the boards, for he did not wish his otheradversary to escape in the darkness. The man had uttered a greatoath as he became aware that his occupation had been interrupted,and dropping his burden upon the bed, he turned furiously upon hisopponent, so quickly and so fiercely that Paul had barely time todraw his poniard and throw himself into an attitude of defencebefore the man was upon him.

  "You again!" he hissed between his teeth, as his well-directedblows fell one after the other, taxing Paul's strength and agilitynot a little in evading or diverting them. "Have I not enoughagainst you without this? Do you know that no man thwarts Devil'sOwn who lives not bitterly to rue the day? I have your name down ina certain book of mine, young man, and some day you wil
l learn themeaning of that word. If I kill you not now, it is but that I maytake a more terrible vengeance later. Let me pass, I say, or I maylose patience and cleave your skull as you stand."

  But Paul had no intention of letting this dangerous foe escape him.He stood directly before the door, and barred the robber's way. Itmight have gone ill with the lad in spite of his courage andaddress, for he was but a stripling and the robber a man ofunwonted strength, and full of fury now at being thus balked; butthe sound of hurrying feet through the house toward the scene ofconflict told both the combatants that an end to the struggle wasapproaching.

  Paul shouted to them to take care the prey did not escape by way ofone of the many crooked stairways, with which doubtless he wasfamiliar enough; and he, seeing that all hope of escape through thehouse was now at an end, and knowing that he should inevitably beoverpowered by numbers if he waited longer, suddenly sprangbackwards and rushed to the window. Although it was high above theground, and the stones below were both slippery and hard, hevaulted out like a deer, landing on the prostrate body of hiscompanion, who received him with an execration and a groan; and asPaul rushed after him, intensely chagrined at this unexpectedescape, he was only in time to see him dash off into the forest, orrather to hear his steps crashing through the thicket, until thesound of a horse's steady gallop showed that he was off and away.

  The whole household was crowding into the room in various stages ofdishabille. The terrified Joan and the disappointed Paul had eachto tell their tale. But whilst the parents bent over theirdaughter, soothing her terrors and calming her fears, Jack drewtoward Paul and his comrade, and said in low tones:

  "Simon Dowsett is not a foe to be set at defiance. I would counselyou to take horse with the first gleam of day, and gain anotherparish or the protection of London, at least, before he hasrecovered from his discomfiture. I say this not without regret, asI would fain keep you over our feast today; but--"

  The comrades exchanged glances, and spoke in one breath:

  "We understand: you have spoken kindly and well," they said. "Ifyou can have the horses in readiness, we will ride off with thefirst streak of dawn. It will be best so for all."

  And though Joan Devenish and Will Ives were made man and wife thatvery morning, Paul and the prince were not there to grace theceremony, but were far on their way to London.