A Gentleman Player; His Adventures on a Secret Mission for Queen Elizabeth

by Robert Neilson Stephens

  CHAPTER XIII.

  THE PRISONER IN THE COACH.

  "It smites my heart to deal ungently with thee, lady."--_The FairImmured._

  "She is like to find some magistrate of knowledge and resources nexttime!" continued Hal, alluding to Anne. "Well, there's naught to do butride after her!"

  "But what then?" put in Kit. "What shall hinder her from crying out?"

  Hal, just mounted, happened to glance at the coach in the lane. He had,in one moment, a swift series of thoughts.

  "Would that a dozen horses were to be had!" quoth he.

  "Why, now," said Kit, "here come a score of horses, but with men upontheir backs."

  Hal turned a startled look southward. No, the riders were not Barnet'smen; they rode together in too great disorder. Something impelled Hal towait their coming up. In a few minutes it could be seen that they were adiverse company, some bravely dressed, some raggedly, some in bothbravery and rags at once. Some had reckless faces, some uneasy, somestealthy, some sheepish. Their leader, a tall man, who would have beenhandsome but for his low brow and an inequality between the two halvesof his visage, looked a mixture of insolent boldness and knavishservility.

  "Why, God's body!" ejaculated Kit Bottle, with sudden astonishment andgladness. "'Tis that same rascal, the very rogue himself, and none else!I had thought we might fall in with him hereabouts!"

  "Of whom speak you?" asked Hal, curtly.

  "Of that villain Rumney,--mine old comrade that turned robber; him Ionce told you of. Ho. Rumney, thou counterfeit captain! Well met, thourogue, says Kit Bottle!"

  And while the one "captain" rode out to welcome the other, Halremembered what the yeoman at Scardiff had told him of the highwayrobbers; he scanned the villainous faces of these men, and was thankfulin his heart that Anne Hazlehurst had not ridden their way; and then hethought of her on the road ahead, and looked again at the coach, and atthe horses of the newcomers.

  By the time the two former companions in arms had finished their firstsalutations, Hal had formed his plan. He called Kit back to him, andsaid:

  "If thy friend hath a mind to put himself and his company in my servicefor three days, there shall be fair pay forthcoming."

  "I know not how Rumney will take to honest service," replied Kit,doubtfully. "But leave the handling of the matter to me--and the fixingof the pay, too." And he rode back to the robber captain, who with hisband had remained awaiting Kit's return at the place where they hadstopped, some distance from Hal and Anthony. The villagers, now joinedby the constable himself, stood gaping before the ale-house, exchanginga curious inspection with the questionable-looking newcomers.

  Kit and Captain Rumney whispered together for a long time, gravely andmysteriously. Rumney was at first of a frowning and holding-offdisposition; looked askance at Hal several times, and shook his headskeptically, as if he could see no advantage in what was proposed. Kit,as his face and gestures showed, waxed eloquent and urgent. There weremoments when wrathful looks and words passed between the two, and oldmatters were raked up, and recriminations cast. But in the end, Rumneyshowed a yielding countenance, and Kit came back to Hal in triumph. Therate of hire being within Hal's limits, the robber captain rode up, atKit's motion, and was introduced to Hal as to Sir Valentine Fleetwood.

  Hal, on viewing this new ally more closely, mentally set him down asgood for two or three days' fidelity if tactfully dealt with. Rumney, onhis part, looked Hal over searchingly, with half closed gray eyes, as ifto see what might be made out of him. The rascal had a fawning mannerthat might become insolent, or threatening, or cruel, upon the leastoccasion.

  Rumney now went back to his men, and briefly acquainted them with whathe had done,--a disclosure whose only outward effect was to make themgaze with a little more interest at Master Marryott. At this time, Halwas questioning the constable regarding the coach. He learned that, whenbogged in mire during a prolonged rain, it had been abandoned by itsformer owners, who had taken to horseback and left it with the ale-housekeeper in lieu of other payment of a large score run up while they werestorm-stayed. Hal promptly bought it from the landlord, with whatharness belonged to it, and with all the carriers' gear that remainedabout the stables.

  At Hal's order, Rumney now had his men hitch their horses to the greatvehicle, and thereupon remount, so that the animals might serve at onceto bear and to draw. Master Marryott put Kit Bottle in charge of therobbers and the coach, with instructions to follow at the best possiblespeed, and then spurred off, with Anthony Underhill, in hope ofovertaking Mistress Hazlehurst.

  It was his intention to catch her if he could do so without entering anyinhabited place or putting himself at risk of a second capture. Shouldhe find himself approaching any such place or risk, he would wait for,or return to, Kit and the robbers. With his so greatly augmented forceof fighting men, he could overawe or rout such a crowd as he had met atClown; and, should the necessity arise, he might even offer a hopefulresistance to Roger Barnet's party. But against a general hue and cry,or an effectual marshalling of magistrate's officers and servants,either or both of which Anne might cause in front of him, he could notlong contend. Hence the speed at which he now urged his horse in pursuitof her.

  He had ridden seven miles from Clown, and met with no impediment in anyof the intermediate hamlets,--a fact which convinced him that she wouldnot again rely on such inferior agents of the law as she had firstfallen in with,--when at a sharp turn of the road he suddenly came insight of her. She and her page were at a standstill, she mounted, heafoot. It was a miry place, sheltered by trees and thickets from thedrying effect of sun and the freezing effect of wind; and Francis stoodin deep mud, examining the stone-bruised forefoot of her horse.

  "This is good fortune, madam!" cried Hal, his eyes sparkling as wellwith the pleasure of seeing her as with relief of mind.

  "If it be so, enjoy it while you may," she answered, scorning hiselation, "My hindrance here is but for a time."

  "I know it well, madam," replied Hal, courteously; "for I, myself, haveprovided for your going forward."

  "_You_ have provided?" she said, regarding him with astonishment.

  "Yes, mistress; for look you: if I thought to send you anywhere underescort, I could not afford what escort I might trust, or trust whatescort I might afford. If I left you here, without escort, you would bein danger from rogues and vagabonds of the road, and you would be freeto raise the country about me,--as you tried yonder, and rode on to tryagain. If I committed you to the hospitality of gentlefolk hereabouts,you would have that same freedom. Even though you gave up your designagainst me, and would start back for Hertfordshire or elsewhere--"

  "No fear of that!" she said, defiantly.

  "If there were hope of it," Hal went on, "your safety, and anotherreason, would forbid my allowing it."

  The other reason, which he dared not tell her, was this: if permitted toreturn southward, she might meet Roger Barnet and incidentally givesuch description of Hal as would beget a doubt whether, after all, theright man was being chased.

  "Therefore," concluded Hal, who had so opened his mind to her for hisown justification, "it behoveth me to take you with me."

  "To _take_ me!" said she, with the emphasis of both query and correctionon the verb.

  "As a prisoner," added Hal, quietly.

  She looked at him as a queen might look at a madman.

  "I your prisoner!" she said. "By God's light, never!"

  "My prisoner," said Hal, gently, "now and for three days to come.Anthony, look to the boy, and to his horse tied yonder; and follow thislady and me into the woods, that we may wait my men without scrutiny ofpassing travellers. Madam, be so good, I pray you, to ride betwixt yonthickets."

  "That I will not!" cried Anne, with eyes afire.

  Hal waited for one drawing of his breath; then rode to her side, graspedher bridle, and led her unwilling horse after him through the fairlyclear way that he had pointed out. She showed herself too amazed foraction, and made no resistance with he
r hands; but if looks could havesmitten, Master Marryott would have found himself sorely belabored.

  Hal stopped in the woods, within easy hearing distance of the road.Anthony, having lifted the small page to his own saddle-bow, disarmedhim of weapons, and taken the other horse in leading, came after. Whenthe little group was finally stationary among the trees and underbrush,Anne's face betrayed some falling away of defiance. She looked around ina kind of momentary panic, as if she would leap from her horse, and fleeafoot. But on every side she saw but dark pools, damp earth, moistroots, and brush. She gave a shiver, and stayed in her saddle.

  "Have no fear, mistress," said Hal. "No harm will come to you. While yougo yieldingly, no hand shall touch you; and in any case, no hand butmine own, which is a gentleman's."

  "Would you dare use force?" she cried, somewhat huskily, her eyes--halfthreatening, half intimidated--turned full upon him.

  "If I must," said he, meeting her gaze with outward calmness.

  She dropped her glance, and was silent. Anthony now placed Francis onthe latter's own horse, but kept a stern eye upon him, and a firm handupon his bridle. The four sat perfectly still, save for the restlessmovements of their shivering horses, in the chill and sombre forest. Noone was heard to pass in the road.

  "For what are you waiting?" asked Anne, after awhile.

  "For my men to come up, with the coach you are to occupy," Hal replied.

  She answered him with a look of surprise, but said nothing.

  After a weary length, the tread of many horses and the noise of cumbrouswheels was heard from the uneven and miry road. Hal, retaining Anne'sbridle, and motioning Anthony to follow, led the short but toilsome rideback to the highway. The strange crew, headed by Kit Bottle and CaptainRumney, came into view around the turn. Losing no time for greetings,Hal ordered the men to ride on at their best pace to a dryer part of theroad, that the coach might not become fixed in the mire. This was done,the robbers looking with some curiosity at Anne as they passed. Hal andhis immediate party followed. At an open place, where the earth washard, he called a halt; then dismounted, and led Anne's horse close tothe coach.

  The vehicle was as crude as may be supposed when it is remembered thatthe use of coaches in England was then scarce thirty-five years old. Itwas springless, heavy of wheel, and with a cover having theentrance-opening at the side. An occupant of it, unless he sat by thisopening, was concealed from view; and his cries, if he made any, mightbe drowned by the various noises of the creaking and rumbling vehicle,the heavily harnessed horses, and the boisterous escort. Once an inmateof this moving prison, Anne might try in vain to communicate with theoutside world through which her captors might convey her.[26]

  "Mistress," said Hal, with great respect, "be so gracious as to exchangeyour lame horse for the coach." And he offered his hand to assist her.

  "I will not stir!" she replied, to the additional curiosity of Rumneyand such of his men as could witness the scene by looking back fromtheir horses.

  Knowing how much slower must be his future progress, with this coach tobe dragged along, and how much less he could afford to suffer delay, heforthwith abandoned words for acts. With all possible gentleness, butall necessary force, he deliberately grasped her foot and took it fromthe stirrup. He then directed Kit Bottle to dismount, and unfasten thesaddle-girth of her horse. This done. Hal drew the saddle down, on hisside, until he could clasp her waist. He then had Bottle lead her horseaway, so that, the saddle sliding to the ground, she could not but setfoot upon the earth. She held, however, to the bridle, until Hal, by asteady compulsion, which he made as painless as possible, loosened herhands from it, one at a time.

  He had been in some slight fear of a more active resistance from her;but she proved herself of a dignity above that of women who bite andscratch. She was of too great a stateliness to put herself intoungraceful or vixenish attitudes. So she neither clawed nor pounded,though she would have struck with her dagger had Hal not taken it fromher in time. But she exerted all her strength in holding back fromwhatever motion he sought to compel from her. He saw that he should havedifficulty in making her enter the coach.

  He had a rude, bench-like seat taken out of the vehicle, and placedbeneath the opening, to serve as a step. As she would not budge, even toapproach the carriage, he lifted her with both arms, carried herforward, and placed her in a standing position on the bench. He thenpaused for breath, still keeping one arm about her. Commanding Kit tohold the bench steady, Hal stepped upon it, for the purpose of liftingher into the vehicle. He saw that she was taller by far than the openingthrough which she would have to pass, and saw, at the same moment, thatshe made herself rigid, so that, in forcing her into the coach, he mightbe put to the use of violence.

  He gathered strength for his final effort, and grasped her waist again.At this instant, he noticed an amused grin on the faces of some ofRumney's ruffians, and was conscious that, perspiring and red-faced fromhis exertions, he doubtless made a somewhat ridiculous figure. Perhapsthis knowledge acted as a stimulant, and also made him a little lessconsiderate toward his prisoner. He stiffened his muscles, changed herdirection from the perpendicular to the oblique, and stepped up into thecoach, her diagonal position permitting her admission, headforemost,through the opening. He then caused the seat to be returned, and placedher, full-length, upon it; and ordered Francis to be put into the coachwith her.

  His own horse being brought close to the opening. Hal transferredhimself to the saddle, his intention being to ride at the side of thecoach wherever the width of the road should allow. Anthony was to followclose behind him. Captain Bottle was sent forward to lead the caravan.Anne's side-saddle was placed in the coach; her horse, being lame, wasturned loose; that of Francis was hitched, with the animals ridden bythe robbers, to the vehicle. Captain Rumney was left to choose his ownplace, Hal supposing he would elect to be near his old-time gossip,Bottle. But Rumney preferred to ride behind the coach. Hal thereuponcalled to Bottle to start, the robbers whipped their horses, thecoach-wheels began to turn, and the flight was at last resumed.

  Why should Rumney have placed himself at the rear? Hal wondered, and avague misgiving entered his mind; nor was he reassured when, at a placewhere a hard heath permitted Anthony to ride for a moment at Hal'sside, the Puritan muttered to him:

  "Saw'st thou the look of that robber captain when he first set eyes onthe lady? I liked it not!"

  With which, Anthony fell behind again to Rumney's side.

  Nor--now that he recalled that look, a greedy lighting up of wickedeyes--did Hal himself like it, and the future seemed dubious.