The Child of the Moat

down on the window seat. “It is three days since we have been able to get out and no one has seen the top of Mickle Fell for a week. The gal

of the withdrawing r

own great trees and broken fences and even, now and then, some unfo

tor

though,” she continued, “the two falls m

l about it and I always rather like the sound of the wind; it has a nice eerie suggestion

but I cannot,10 and it only makes me feel creepy and the rain annoys me because I cannot go ou

if they did happen. These things are b

told me that a distant cousin of my own age was coming from Scotland to live with us; and I made all sorts of pictures of you in my mind. I thought tha

very disapp

ht that you would be so pretty:

“but her portrait that Master Lindsay painted is very beautiful, and father always said that it did n

ld was

some talk about it. Her name was Margaret and she was named after her grandmother or her great grandmother, who was lady in wait

Audry, “and how has it anyt

to think it was your queen, Margaret of Anjou, who married Henry IV; but she seems to b

; but they were almost the same, your queen was fourteen years and one month when she married and ours was thirteen years and nine mon

n anyway,” said Audry; “how sad

r Lady Jane Grey who was barely sixteen when she and her husband were e

e seen

he time of the Lady Jane’s death and your Queen Mary’s accession:

you seen the Queen? She is

rteen and is extraordinarily beautiful. They say her wedding to the Dauphin

er good lookin

be the handsomest m

and horses and running and a good romp and were not so fond of old books. Fancy a girl of your age being able to read t

line objected, “an

but you do not love it as I do;” and Audry stood up to display her sturd

g books, it gives one something to do in wet weather. Let us go down

e from that funny old book by Ma

tainly is exciting and I am so fond of it. I often wish that there were knights going about now to fight

not trouble their heads about yo

with a half sigh, as she tho

nown her such a little time that she cannot care much. I don’t suppose there are many little girls who can be as lonely as I am.

uses when Audry had some dainty or extra pleasure as to why Aline should not have her share. Aline thought of her father, Captain Angus Gillespie of Logan, and remembered his infinite care for her when she had been the apple of his eye. It had been a sad little life;—first she h

see what we can find.” So they left the solar and went down14 through the hall and out into the upper court. They raced across the court, because

back the heavy oak with its finely carved pane

lcoves, each lit by its own window and most of the books were chained to their places, being attached to a long rod that ran along the top of each shelf. At the end of each alcove was a lock with beautifully wrought iron tracery work that held the rod so that it could n

xcited her curiosity and she pushed it to and fro to see if it was for any special purpose, till suddenly she discovered that, when the figure was pushed as high15 as it would go, the whole lock could be pulled forward like a little door on a hinge, revealing a small cavity behind. Both children started and peered eagerly into

n. “Now you see the use of knowing Latin,” said Alin

her it is interest

wick Hall; but what is the use of this curious pi

be of some importance or they would not have taken all that trouble to hide the book

try and kitchen and afterwards the beautiful solar. Audry found her interest flag; although, when it came to the building of her room and the cost of th

nslated thus: “To my heirs trusting that this may serve them as it has served me.” But in what way it was to serve them did not appear, and the evening w

ke the others. We can hide it in the armoire and read with the little l

the place, ran to their room and hid the bo

d the water ran down in long streams across the floor. “Gramercy,” he exclaimed, “it is not a fit day for

aken about

ucceeded in tugging off the first one. “Ah, well, never mind,” he added, when he saw her wince at his words, and stooped and kissed her and called to one of

ave got,” he continued; “in all this rain i

“that would save us further trouble, but it is a pity th

ranger early this morning, playing with a child, but he tur

an and William Nettleship have both taken over a score of men and there must easily be two score of others on

get over Middleton Bridge after the watch was set, and I do not see how any one could get over the river to-day, i

ted for?” Audry

, “a heretic blaspheming Mother Church, whom t

how does he blaspheme Mothe

do not want to know,”

l that it is wrong? You must know what he

s brought from Scotland, that has been putting these notions into your head, with her book learning and nonsense. I assure you that I won’t have any more of it, you little skelpie,[4] you are not too old for a good beat

enough to be wh

was eaten in silence and ever

ne, and that they would be able to find the heretic on the hills. “That man has done more mischief than any of the others,” he muttered;

, and her wonderful19 charm of figure! Her colouring was as remarkable as her form. The hair was of a deep dark red, somewhat of the colour beloved by Titian, but with more gloss and glow although a little lower in tone; that colour which one meets perhaps once in a lifetime, a full rich undoubted

?” Audry asked; “I

ot satisfied with the way that things were going in the church and that in particular they denied that it was only through the priests o

laim to be better than oth

of God that that fact itself would make them better. So, many of them say that God can and does speak directly to all of us himself, and they all th

ese many years,’ father said, ‘but, little maid, do not trouble y

very wicked people then

“I do not know what to think about it,” she said. “I suppos

s,” said Audry in

oung and do not know anything about it; but it sounds as though the priests were afraid that the truth can not take care of itself; but surely it cannot be the truth if it is afraid to hear the other side. I

d what your motto mea

ruth is great and will prevail. If it is the truth it must win; and it can do it no h

subject; “no one is likely to come up here now, they

or a moment and then gave a little cry,—“I have foun

ed. “I do not see a

see one or two letters showing th

es

are

i. s. n. e. v. e. r. c. a. r. r. i. e. d. i. n. f. r. o. n. t. o. f. t

s that spell?

t a light is never carried in front of the sl

as I shut the book I naturally made it all even. So, when I opened it in this room, it

I did not even notice at once that the let

and then,” said Aline, “we shal

containeth22 a full account of the building of Holwick Hall; so that it will be easily possible to follow that which I now set down. Below the Library on the west side of the house just above the level of the moat, there is a secret chamber, which communicateth with a passage below the moat that hath an exit in t

m that we are in now!” Audry excla

probably tell us all about it,

store-chamber or closet on the ground floor in

he silver and the other plate

e is a great oaken coffer that is fastened to the floor, in the which are t

lations. A house could not be f

y; “how really exciting things have become at last, but I wa

D SWOR

st rosette below the central hinge be drawn forth. After so doing, the outer edge of the plank next the wall in the bottom of the chest can be pushed down slightly, which wil

erstand it all,

Yes, I think it is quite clear; it’s very like

ry and, even if we could,” said A

und that the shelf will pull forward an inch and a finger can be inserted behind it on the left hand side, and a small lever can be pushed backward. This enables the third plank near the newel-stair[7] wall to be lifted by pressing down the western

d made in the thi

taircase circling round the newel

the steps, to any one going up the staircase, was really a secon

time, as they were eager at once to see if

ed the door. The single shelf came forward without dif

“but I cannot move i

s are25 stronger than yours,” she said. “Ah, that is it!” she exclaimed, as she felt the le

and the Way to

aimed, “Oh, it must be all right as we have got so far; let us feel the panels and try and force them down. This is the one above the bolt,” and she put her fingers on it to try and make it slide down. She had no sooner spoken than the panel moved an inch and, slipping her hand inside, she pressed it down to the bottom. The panel tended to rise again when she let go,26 as the bottom rested on the arm of a weighted lever. It looked very gloomy inside but the children were determined to go on. They

have got to?” Aud

e know, is just at the bottom of the newel-stair and the book said th

our way altogether, Aline, and nev

Aline that made them still more nervous. There were occasional slits along the wall for ventilation and she remembered the words that she had read by chance when she firs

a door. It was of very stout oak and plated with iron. They opened it and found that it had eight great iron bolts that could be shut on that side. Within was a second door equally strong and, on opening that, they found themselves in the secret

d show,” said Aline; “how careful the

ne corner but some of the bedding was moth-eaten and destroyed. There were also many little conveniences in the room, amongst other things a small book-case containing several books. On the whole it was a distinctly pleasant apartment despite the absence of any visible windows. There were

her a dull part to play, though there was something naturally queenly in her nature, and she would therefore prefer something more active. She would take the old Scots romance of Burd Helen, or Burd Aline, as her own inspiration, and follow her knight in the disguise of a page over mountain and torrent and through every hardship. This better suited the romantic self-sacrifice of her usual m

ype="