The Child of the Moat

plenty of common sense and intelligence for her years and an outlook essentially fair minded and just. But she also had a quiet hauteur, curiously coupled with humility,

moreover she never used her power for her own benefit. Further, her humble estimate of her own capacity for judgment caused her but rarely to exercise the power at

her into conflict with Eleanor Mowbray; nor did she take the least deli

s so largely monopolised the more obvious manifestations of power that it might be said

ss. She did not exactly mean to be unkind, but they were servants and they must feel that they were servants. Her attitude to them was that

d there was always a good deal of friction. The servants tended to lose their loyalty and, when once the bond of common interest was broken, what did it matter to Martha, the laundry-maid, that she one day scorched and destroyed the most cherished and valuable piece of lace that Mistress

the horses, had taken his place for the day. The four silver goblets, which he had placed on the table, were all of them tarnished; and

ich the family sat. The retainers sa

; “I spent a great amount of pains in laying the

scullion, and bring them back to me t

great deal to do in the stables this afternoon.” As a matter of fact he

told; go and clean them at once, or it will be the worse for you.” She knew that this

he goblets the day before. He soon found them, and then drew himself a measure of ale and sat down with a chuckl

was looking disconsolately out of the window wondering whether she should go into the library or what she should do, when the angry dame thought that the child offered an object for the f

f the other servants, and she heard him laugh loudly as he pointed to a row of goblets, four of them clean and the rest of them dirty, while he

, after which she returned to the dining hall to tell Mistress Mowbr

lets on a tray for Mist

t conceal a faint smile and the lady became suspicious. “By the way

umphantly, “but they were all dir

he man was somehow getting the better of her, so she merely replied calmly,—“

nd smothered it without Mistress Mowbray seeing; but Thomas saw

“Marry, but I trust you have done it well. It is too wet for you to go out; you

she wondered what Audry was doing, who had been shrewd enou

lady and she herself was not. True, Aline’s father was only one of the lesser Lairds, but he was a gentleman of coat armour,[9] whereas Eleanor Mowbray was merely the beautiful daughter of the wealthy vintner of York. It caused Eleanor Mowbray great satisfaction to have the power

rant to his ancestors or himself of bearing a coat of arms. It

oo much of a lady to mind and, if need had been, would have cleaned out a stable, a pigsty o

aculty and which went entirely beyond any power of which Mistress Mowbray even dreamed and yet without the child making any effort to get it. Aline herself indeed was unconsciou

y had the first indication that Aline had a power that might rival her own. It

from the hall to the kitchen upbraiding the servants and talking in a loud and domineering tone. But the servants, who were w

ath child,” she exclaimed, “this is no time for spinning, what possesses you? I cannot get those varlets to wor

spoilt. She had already noticed that the servants in the hall were very half-hearted, so s

y, “ridiculous child!—but go alon

central passage to the kitchen. The place was filled

he doorway, the servants nudged each ot

lling tales,” said on

d nurse, who was assisting, “surely

speak and a strange feeling of s

her, “if you run about so, you’ll wear out your36 shoon; you

or are you making f

aid Aline; “but look at his shoon; are they n

did a day’s work, Joe,

Aline, putting her hand to her brow with mock gravity.

e reckonings,” said Silas, “for

; there’s going to be a funeral

exclaimed half

not to be known; but you’ll keep it secret I k

on in mysterious tones, “You know

lf to take in the situation, “

ecause there was nothing to eat. Yes, it’s a sad story; I’m not surprised to see the tears in your eyes, Joseph, and, in fac

laugh greeted

It would be a sorry thing that Holwick should be di

t the tone was one of dignity comb

ympathy with his own point of view; yet at the same time he was conscious that he would l

ing but working with a will, she looked into the buttery, where she saw Thomas and Edw

she added in a tone that combined something of jest, something of command and something of a coaxing quali

in the tone that pricked Edward’s vanity; yet his ow

es, Mistress Aline, the sin of idleness is apt to

much for her sensitive nature. Thomas was marked by that lack of refinement38 t

t in fifteen minutes everything was moving smoothly. It was done entirely out of kindness, but Eleanor Mowbray felt that

seeing through his hypocrisy; which, as a matter of fact, she had only partially don

es and they decided, as the day was fine and the storm had cleared away, that they would go d

er the rain, varied by the grey stone walls, that ran across the country, separating the little holdings. The distance was brill

ortar. Within, a portion was divided off39 at one end by a wooden partition. There was no window save one small opening under the low eaves which was less than six feet fro

o wooden kists or chests, a dilapidated spinning wheel and a couple of small stools. In the very middle of the floor was a fire of peats on a fl

he door and, holding out both his hands, shook Audry’s and Aline’s at the same time

arefully dusting them first, bade hi

ter,” asked Aline, “she

ast few days and is in bed, but maybe the bri

rs in the front. These were drawn back, but the interior was concealed by a curtain. He drew aside this curtain and within lay a little girl about eleven years

, no sooner are you up than you are back in bed again. I have been asking Master Mowbray about you and he

uite so badly to-day, but I wish that horrid old ‘Moll o’ the graves’ would not come in

ng,” said Audry, “but do n

and you must just call me Aline the same as I call you Joan. See! Audry and I have brought you a few flowers and some li

worse. All my folk are gone now and I am the only one left. The flowers are right bonnie though and the smel

lay41 quite still gazing at the two as though e

ry did their best to smooth it a little, after whic

line in a whisper, “the smoke is so terrible and

f it; so it’s no use your

d sat down on the stools for

s a sort of cousin of my wife who has been lying down in Middleton churchyard this many a long year. She lived in this very house as a girl and seeme

e end of the house they saw the black figure of an old wom

hate her. You know, Aline, they say she does all manner of dreadful things, that it was she who made all old Benjamin Darley’s sheep die. Some peopl

ure she is up to no good. I believe that she has been spyi

ot prevent he

said Aline; “she might

d approached the cottage door. Aline at once advanced and stood between the old

want, mother?

old dame savagely; “you clear away from tha

hey were two in number, although she was armed with a stick, but something gruesome and unearthly about her manner. Aline

d firmly; “there is a little girl within

please,” she muttered, advancing to the

resistance, as she feared the publicity of the road and moreover the girls were both strong and well built, though of different types. Aline then stepped so as to face

thing she had never met before, as she caught the fire in those intense blue eyes. “I

her, feeling a little shaken af

,” said Audry. “I am sure she wou

it,” and they raced d

brown peat-coloured water swirled, mysteriously swift and deep, and rainbows danced in the flying spray. They walked down

d be made out with some difficulty the form of a man. He was lying quit

he is hiding,

ry poor place to hide, particularly when there are s

hink he is too hig

urt; I wonder if there is

the Hall and get he

gh she could not explain her feelings she felt too much pity to do anything that might help the hunters and therefore it would not be wise to go to the Hall. It wa

n absolutely certain that the stranger was in any real danger. It was not her concern. But Aline from long association with her brave father had a measure of masculine physical courage that will even court danger and that overcame her natural girlish timidity, and along with that she had in unusual degree the true feminine courage that

could do nothing without Audry, but she thought it best to keep her own counsel and do as much as she could before Audry could possibly hin

“Oh, we must help him at once. I am sure we should not be in time if we went up to t

ou do, Aline, he is

across,” she said, a

his flood! That

nt a little lower down the river wh

e killed; you must

ot that she had in her mind. Audry ran after her, hor

ne was taking off her shoes; “you seem too timid46 and qu

empted it,” was all that

se, and then turned and kissed Audry. “There is no o

passing hesitation and then she plunged in and headed diagonally up the river. She struck out hard and found that she could make some progress from the shore although she was being swiftly carried down the stream. If only she could reach the other side before she was swept down to the rapids below, where she must inevitably be smashed to pieces on the rocks!

e struck a great rock, but, as it seemed by a miracle,47 although much bruised, she was carried over the smooth water-worn surface and by a desperate moveme

n again. She then paused for a moment not knowing what to do. Blood was flowing freely from a deep cut below the right knee and also from a wound on the back of her right shoulder. She hesitated to tear her things for fear of

nd only his iron determination had carried him through. Time and again nothing but the utmost daring and resourcefulness had enabled him to slip through his enemies’ hands. He had actually been searched twice unsuccessfully before he was finally arrested as a heretic at York. After extreme suffer

pursuers the slip, and he made his way up Te

-old boy on the road, who had fallen and hurt himself and was sitting in the rain and crying bitterly. There was nothing serious about it, but the child had a large bruise on his forehead. Ian had he

ment he had made his way to the river. If only he could get across, he argued, he might consider himself tolerably safe. They would never suspect that he was on that side and it was in any case the best road to the North. He knew little of the country, of course, or that there was a better place to attempt the feat lower down the stream. He leaped49 in where he found himself and being a strong swimmer he mad

uld wake trembling, with his heart beating violently. It was after one of these dozes that he woke and, on opening his eyes, saw a little figure in white bending over him, whose large dark blue eyes, filled with pity, were looking into his face. Her long hair fell down so as to touch him and her beautiful ar

nd I have come to h

hild, how can

nd how could she ever have heard of him and why should any family that wished to help him do it by the hands of any one so young? Then sh

ng on the rock and so I came acros

say that you swam

only way t

ring if there really could be such things, as so many people seriously believed. It was almost

ave hurt your head and

s assistance to him; but it was a vision of delight and there was a music in the sound of her voice that to the exile reminded him of his own country. Yet he felt it

t not help me.

arge eyes were full of pity, “but somehow I fe

tly. It is only your sweet natural child-heart that inst

you; but we must not stop talking here

as a possible explanation occurred to

eretic was a member of a despised class, but there was also a slight, commingling of bitterness that gave the ring to her words, and

k to the other side and first I ought to bandage your head. Have you hurt yourself anywhere else?” She looked him up and down a

thing is that I think that I have broken my collar bone. But before we do anything I must try and help you bandage your shoulder more satisfac

wondered again as he tenderly manipulated the bandage, how such a

ark. There is, however, a hollow tree on the other side where we sometimes play, in which you can sit with your feet outside and they can be covered up with grass an

cally useless

de. The rapids set towards this bank and on the other side there is a sort of backwater opposite to where the rapids begi

only one arm, and in any case you will have to go round; y

t Aline. She lifted her head and said,—“We must both go and y

and the long nervous strain had deprived him for the moment of his self-mastery. His head was full of strange noises and he seemed as though he were in a dream. At last he yielded, retaining just enough self-consciousness to determine that he would let himself go, a

st intolerable he had decided to put his injured arm on her shoulder and it answered beyond their expectations. He was a very strong swimmer and all that it was necessary for Aline to do was to give the slight help necessary to counteract the one-sided

s in her father’s house helped to nurse the injured and knew how to bind the collar bone and make as good a piece of work of the ankle as the extemporised bandages would allow. Then bidding him good-bye the children hurried back to the Ha