Life was rather monotonous at the castle, as Hugo found. Occasionally
the men-at-arms sallied out, but there were no guests, for Lady De
Aldithely was determined to keep her son, if possible, and would trust
few strangers. It was a mystery to Humphrey why she had trusted Hugo.
"I may have dreams of earthquakes," he grumbled, "and what doth it
count? Naught. Here cometh a lad, most like sent by the Evil One, and
he is taken in, and housed and fed, and his hound leeched; and he goeth
often to my lady's bower to chat with her; and often into the tilt-yard
to practise with our young lord Josceline; and often lieth on the
rushes in the great hall at the evening time before the fire with the
men-at-arms; and he goeth to the gates with the warder and the grooms;
and on the walls with William Lorimer; and Robert Sadler followeth him
about to have speech with him and to hear what he will say; and he is
as good as if he were My Lord Hugo with everybody, when he is but Hugo,
a strange lad, and no lord at all."
It was as Humphrey had said. Hugo was a favorite with all in the
castle. His company was a great solace to Lady De Aldithely in
particular. She was drawn to trust him, and every day confided more and
more to him concerning her painful and perilous situation. "I am
convinced," she said one day when two weeks had passed, "that there is
mischief brewing. I fear that I shall lose my boy, and it will break
his father's heart."
Hugo looked sympathetic.
"Thou knowest that fathers' hearts can break," she said. "Our first
King Henry fell senseless when his son was lost."
"What fearest thou, Lady De Aldithely?" asked Hugo.
"Treachery," was the answer. "There is some one within the castle walls
who will ere long betray us."
Hugo was silent a while. He was old for his years, very daring, and
fond of adventure. And he loved Lady De Aldithely not only for her
kindness to him, but for the attention she had given to Fleetfoot. At
last he spoke. "I have a plan. But, perchance, thou mistakest and there
is no traitor within the walls."
Lady De Aldithely looked at him quickly. "Nay, I am not mistaken," she
said.
"Then this is my plan," announced Hugo. "Josceline and I be alike. I
will personate him. In a week Fleetfoot will be quite recovered. We
will go forth. They who watch will think they see Josceline and pursue
me. I will lead them a merry chase, I warrant thee."
"But, my boy!" cried Lady De Aldithely. "What wild plan is this? Thou
lead such evil men a merry chase? Speak rather of the dove leading the
hawk a merry chase."
"Even so I will lead them," declared Hugo. "If they catch me, they
shall do well."
Lady De Aldithely smiled at the boyish presumption. "My poor lad!" she
said. "How if they catch thee with an arrow as they caught Fleetfoot?
Thou mightest find no castle then to give thee shelter, no leech to
salve thy wound."
"For thee, because of thy kindness, I will risk that," declared Hugo,
after a pause.
Lady De Aldithely put up her hand. "Hush!" she said. "Speak no more at
present to me, and nothing on the subject at any time to any but me. I
hear footsteps."
The footsteps, bounding and light, drew nearer, and presently Josceline
looked in at the door. "Come, Hugo!" he cried. "Let us away to the
tilt-yard and do our exercise."
Josceline was already an esquire, and very diligent in the exercises
required of an esquire as a part of his training for knighthood. But
not more diligent than Hugo had been during his stay at the castle. For
Hugo felt himself at a disadvantage on account of having been bred up
at the priory, and was eager to make up for his shortcomings. In all
their practice Robert Sadler, one of the men-at-arms, was present. And
both boys liked him very well. He was not a young man, being some sixty
years old, and gray and withered. He was of Irish parentage, and short
in stature; and he had a tongue to which falsehood was not so much a
stranger as the truth. He was also as inquisitive as a magpie, and
ready to put his own ignorant construction on all that he saw and
heard. The two boys, however, had never stopped to think of his
character. He was always praising their performances in the tilt-yard,
and always deferring to them, so that they regarded him very favorably
and were quite ready to abide by his judgment. To-day he was waiting
for them with a tall horse which he held by the bridle. "I would fain
see both of you vault over him," he said.
Josceline advanced, put one hand on the saddlebow and the other on the
horse's neck, and vaulted over fairly well. After him came Hugo, whose
performance was about equal to Josceline's.
"It was the cousin to the king that could not do so well as that,"
commented Robert Sadler.
"And how knowest thou that?" asked Josceline, complacently. "Didst thou
see him?"
"See him!" exclaimed Robert Sadler. "I have seen him more times than
thou art years old. And never did he do so well as thou and Hugo."
With hearts full of pride the two went from vaulting over the horse to
striking heavy blows with a battle axe.
"Ah!" cried Robert Sadler. "Could the cousin to the king see the
strokes that ye make, he were fit to die from shame. He can strike not
much better than a baby. I could wish that all mine enemies might
strike me no more heavily than the cousin to the king."
"This cousin to the king must be worthless," observed Josceline, his
face red from the exertion of striking.
"Worthless!" exclaimed Robert Sadler. "It were not well that the king
heard that word, but a true word it is. Worthless he is."
"I knew not that the king had a cousin," observed Hugo, with uplifted
axe.
"There was never a man born," declared Robert Sadler, recklessly, "who
had not a cousin. And would the king that hath everything else be
lacking in a common thing like a cousin? Thy speech is well nigh
treasonable. But strike thou on. I will not stay to see thee put the
king's cousin to shame, and then hear thee deny there is such a one."
And he stalked off to the stables leading the horse.
"I fear thou hast angered him," said Josceline. "But no matter. He will
not harbor anger long." And so it proved. For before the two had
finished striking he had returned to the tilt-yard apparently full of
good humor.
Two days went by. Then Lady De Aldithely spoke again to Hugo of his
project. "Hast abandoned thy plan?" she asked.
"Nay, my lady," he replied. "How should I abandon it? Is it not a good
one?"
"Good for my son," admitted Lady De Aldithely, "but bad for thee."
"Thou wilt find it will be bad for neither," said Hugo, stoutly. "I am
resolved."
Lady De Aldithely sighed in relief. "Come nearer," she said. "I would
confide in thee, and none but thou must hear. I have discovered the
traitor within our walls. For a sum of money he will deliver my son to
the king. Ask me not how. I have discovered it."
Hugo looked at her and his eyes flashed indignation. "Deliver
Josceline, he shall not!" he cried.
"He could but for thee, for we are powerless."
"Then again I say, he shall not."
"Come nearer still," said Lady De Aldithely. "I would tell thee the
man's name. What sayest thou to Robert Sadler?"
Hugo stared. "Robert Sadler!" he repeated. "Why, 'tis he of all the
men-at-arms, save William Lorimer, who is kindest to Josceline and me.
He will be ever with us; in the tilt-yard, in the stables, in the hall,
everywhere."
"To watch you," said Lady De Aldithely. "To mark what you say. To catch
your plans."
"He shall catch no more plans from me!" cried Hugo, indignantly. "I
will speak no more with him, nor be with him."
"Ah, but thou must," counselled Lady De Aldithely. "Wert thou to turn
from him, as thou sayest, he would know at once thou hadst been warned
against him, and would hasten his own plans. What said he to thee
yesterday?"
"He did ask me when I should leave the castle."
Lady De Aldithely's face clouded with anxiety. "And what didst thou
answer?" she asked.
"I said it might be one day and it might be another. For thou didst
forbid me to speak of my plan."
"I marvel at thy prudence," smiled Lady De Aldithely. "Where didst thou
learn it?"
"From my uncle, the prior. He never telleth aught to any man. And no
one can wring from him ay or nay by a question."
"A blessing upon him!" breathed Lady De Aldithely.
The boy's eyes brightened. "He is a good man, my uncle, the prior," he
said. "And ever he saith to me, 'In troublous times a prudent tongue is
worth ten lances and shields.'"
Lady De Aldithely smiled. "May he keep his priory in peace," she said.
"'Twere a pity that he should lose it."
Hugo looked at her gratefully. Not every one so leniently regarded the
prior's prudence. In more than one quarter his reticence was severely
blamed. By some it was called cowardice, by others self-seeking.
"And now thou knowest the worst," said Lady De Aldithely. "Within three
days I will contrive to send Robert Sadler hence on an errand. When he
is gone thou shalt go forth in the daylight, and that same night my son
and I will flee into Scotland. There, if no one tracks our steps, we
may be safe. Were I to drive Robert Sadler forth as a traitor, I know
full well that some other would arise in his place to practise
treachery against us. And so we flee."
And now Hugo drew himself proudly up. He felt that he was trusted and
that he was doing a knight's part in rescuing a lady in distress,
though he had not, as yet, taken his knightly vow, and was not even an
esquire.
Lady De Aldithely saw it and smiled. "Thou must put off that high look,
dear lad," she said. "It might beget wonderment in the brain of Robert
Sadler, and so lead him to seek its cause. Look and act as thou hast in
the past. Call to mind thine uncle, the prior, and guard not only thy
tongue, but the glance of thine eye, and the carriage of thy body."
Hugo blushed. "I fear I am like to mar all without thy counsel," he
said humbly.
"Thou art but a lad," replied Lady De Aldithely, kindly, "and my
counsel thou shalt freely have. And now I must tell thee that thou art
to take our good Humphrey with thee on thy journey."
Hugo started and looked disappointed. But all he said was, "Dost not
think him very like an old crone, with his dreams and his omens and his
charms?"
"I may not criticise Humphrey thus," said Lady De Aldithely, gravely,
"because I know his great faithfulness to me and mine. And thou knowest
there is much superstition abroad in the land--too much to make it just
to single out Humphrey for dislike because he is tainted with it. I
send him with thee because I have the highest regard for thy safety.
Thou wilt consent to take him to attend thee?"
"If thou require it," answered Hugo, reluctantly.
"I do require it," said Lady De Aldithely, "and I thank thee for
yielding. Now go. Come not again to me until Robert Sadler be well sped
on his journey. Had I but known that he was treacherous and greedy of
gold, no matter how gained, he had never been admitted to these walls."
Obediently Hugo left the apartment and slowly descended the winding
stair. And almost at the small door of the stairway tower he found
Robert Sadler waiting for him. The traitor was growing impatient and
was now resolved to proceed more boldly. "Thou stayest long with her
ladyship," he began. "I had thought the sun would set or ever thou came
down the stair."
Hugo did not meet his glance. He was trying hard to conceal the sudden
aversion he had to the man-at-arms, the sudden desire he felt to look
him scornfully in the face, and then turn on his heel and leave him.
And he knew he must succeed in his effort or Josceline was lost.
Meanwhile the man-at-arms stole questioning glances at him. He could
see that the boy was not his usual self, but he did not guess the cause
of his changed manner. With his usual prying way he began:
"Thou hast been here now a fortnight and more. Perchance her ladyship
will be rid of thee. Was't of that she spake to thee?"
And now Hugo had sufficiently conquered himself so that he dared to
lift his eyes. Innocently he looked into the traitor's face. "We spake
of my uncle, the prior," he said.
For a moment Robert Sadler was silent. "That is it," he thought. "She
will send him packing back to his uncle. The lad wishes not to go.
Therefore he looks down. Now is the time to ask him about the postern
key. When one is angered a little then is when he telleth what he hath
discovered."
He cast a searching look at Hugo, but by it he learned nothing. The boy
now began to take his way toward the tilt-yard, and Robert Sadler kept
close at his side, talking as he went.
"Women be by nature suspicious, you will find," he began. "They be ever
thinking some one will be breaking in; and ever for having some one on
guard. Her ladyship now--surely thou knowest she keepeth the postern
key herself, and will trust no one with it. The grooms and the warder
at the great gate she will trust, but it is the postern she feareth,
because she thinketh an enemy might be secretly admitted there. Knowest
thou where she keepeth the key? I would but know in case my lord
returneth suddenly, and, perchance, pursued, since the king will have
his head or ever he cometh to his home, he hath such an enmity against
him. And all because my lord spake freely on the murder of Arthur and
other like matters. He might be sped to his death awaiting the opening
of the postern while her ladyship was coming with the key."
"Cometh the lord soon, then?" asked Hugo, interestedly.
"That no man can tell," answered Robert Sadler. "He is now safe over
sea in France; but he might be lured back if he knew the young lord
Josceline was in peril."
"In peril, sayest thou?" asked Hugo. He was learning his lesson of
self-control fast.
"Why else are we mewed up here in the castle?" demanded the man-at-arms.
"I be weary of so much mewing-up. If the king will have our young lord
Josceline to keep in his hand so that he may thereby muzzle his father,
why, he is king. And he must have his will. Sooner or later he will have
it. Why, who can stand against the king?"
"And how can that muzzle his father?" asked Hugo.
"Why, if Lord De Aldithely, who is a great soldier, and a great help to
victory wherever he fighteth, should join with King Louis of France to
fight against our king--why, then it would go ill with Josceline if he
were biding in the king's hand. And, knowing this, his father would
forbear to fight, and so be muzzled."
"And Josceline would not otherwise be harmed?" asked Hugo.
"Why, no man knoweth that," admitted the man-at-arms. "The rage of the
king against all who have offended him is now fierce, and he stoppeth
at nothing."
"I know not so much as some of such matters," observed Hugo, quietly.
"Nor needest thou," answered the man-at-arms. "It is sufficient for
such as be of thy tender years to know the whereabouts of the postern
key. I would ask the young lord Josceline, but, merry as he is, he
turneth haughty if one ask what he termeth a meddling question. He
would say, 'What hast thou to do with the whereabouts of the postern
key?' And then he would away to his mother with a tale of me, and the
key would be more securely hidden than before."
"And Lord De Aldithely still further endangered if he came riding and
pursued?"
"Even so. I see that thou art a clever lad. Much cleverer than thy
years warrant. And I warn thee, speak to no one of what I have said to
thee, or it may be worse for thee. But tell me plainly, since we have
gone so far, knowest thou the whereabouts of the key?"
"Nay," answered Hugo. "I know not. I have never before thought of the
postern and its key."
The traitor's frowning face cleared. "I believe thou speakest truly,"
he said. "Thou art so full of being a knight that thou thinkest only of
knightly exercises in the tilt-yard. I will speak a good word for thee,
and it may be thou wilt be admitted a page to the Earl of Hertford."
"And hast thou influence there?" inquired Hugo, with assumed interest.
"Yea, that have I," answered Robert Sadler, falsely. For he had no
influence anywhere. "I will so speak for thee that thou wilt be page
but a short while before thou art made an esquire. Do thou but bide
quiet concerning what hath passed between us, and thou shalt fare never
the worse."
Then he departed to the stables and Hugo was left alone. To be able to
conceal what one feels is a great accomplishment. Rarely do people of
any age succeed in doing so, and it was with a feeling of exultation
over his success that the boy looked after Robert Sadler.
The next day Lady De Aldithely summoned her men-at-arms before her in
the castle hall. She had a missive in her hand. "I must send one of you
on a journey," she said. "More than one I cannot now spare to go to
Chester. Who will take this missive from me to the town of Chester, and
bring back from my aunt what it calleth for?"
A light flashed in the eyes of Robert Sadler which Lady De Aldithely
affected not to see. The opportunity he had been seeking was before
him. He would go out alone, but he would not return alone. When the
drawbridge should be lowered to admit him on his return the king's
messengers with a troop of horse would be at hand. They would make a
rush while he held parley with the old warder. They would gain entrance
to the castle; Josceline would be taken, and the reward for his own
treachery would be gained. He had plenty of time to think of all this,
for the men were slow to offer. Aside from Robert Sadler they were all
true and devoted adherents of the De Aldithelys, and each one imagined
the castle and its inmates safer because of his presence. Therefore
none desired to go.
"No man seemeth willing to do thy ladyship's behest," said Robert
Sadler, with a crafty smile. "I will, by thy leave, undertake it."
Lady De Aldithely looked calmly upon him. "Thou shalt do so, Robert
Sadler," she said courteously, "and thou hast my thanks for the
service. Thou shalt depart to-morrow morn, and thou shouldest return by
the evening of this day week. See that thou bringest safely with thee
what the missive calleth for."
"I will return at eventide of this day week," promised the traitor as
he received the missive.
"And now," he said to himself, when Lady De Aldithely had retired from
the hall, "let her keep the postern key. I care not for it."