Mistress Nancy Molesworth

do with any woman formed no part of my plans. As I have said, I hated women; I had not forgott

alked quietly around the room, occasionally g

presently, "you will of course ma

nod

destroy the paper I gave to Prideaux,[Pg 25] give me

tones. "I will always be a friend to you, and render you any little service

possess the deeds again. But I said nothing. There was no need that I should. Besides at that moment I felt a great desire to

d Treviscoe library, trying the while to read the two Trevisas' motives, and u

are valuable, I suppo

on it," replied old Peter. "

at young Peter should mar

hate all women, you say. You care not what may become of he

ulders. "I[Pg 26] care not"; and

hates the Killig

o you

foun

over-particular what I did as a rule, but this caused a nasty taste in my mouth. This Nancy Molesworth might marry young Peter, crawling ugly worm as he was, that was nothing to me; what matter it who women married? He might

y should they be willing to pay such a big price? There were plenty of g

this affair in other h

ered enough?" c

raid," I replied, and yet my heart w

g

your old servants, and become nameless then?" old Pete

"far cheaper. Tom Belowda's gang would

t maid with a gang of roughs?" he cried; "besides, we should

pay them n

held by such ceas

ed to do so. The thought of retaining Trevanion gr

I suggested, still cont

do a thing you do it, although the furies stand in your way. You are as strong as a horse and if need

"overcomes all difficulties. This is just the work for a lover. It smacks of far-off days. Let Peter attack the castle like t

atred shine from young Peter

ply. "He was delicate from a child. Riding wearies him

ons?" I said at length, a new

es

an

iv

or strong fighting men?" I

en he tried to qualify his words as though he

I longed for some reckless work to do. At first it had seemed tame and mean to carry away a chit of a maid from Endellion Castle, and take her to Treviscoe, that she might become the wife of Peter Trevisa. I surmised, too, that

g

le?" I asked. "Is it one of

g Peter. "The grandfather of the present Colman

l guarded,

rt. In his father's days he and his family supported King James; they long for a Catholic to

g been proved

hould there be a rebellion he could command five hundred swords. T

aid, is sh

strong Protestant, but Heaven only kn

to come into my mind, and I determi

sons beloved by the neighbouri

e of the Catholics are his friends

e about discussing them. Perchance he was afraid lest I should s

time. I pondered much

ast the blood of thy fathers within thee. This is work worthy of the best. Besides, if thou wilt do this, both Peter and myself will befriend thee always. Peter's heart went out after the maid,

erchance the maid will be better off where she is than with you; perchance, too,

"Peter is a good lad, weak in body, but

ut; "I do not object to a rou

at, Rog

ith the maid, if she be as you say. If not, I must carry her off by force. Anyway I shall have a wench

"But you would be kind t

uld be cruel to these poor things, who cannot fight for themselves. Still one cannot trust wo

is to some, my lad would be eating his heart away with jealousy. He would think they would be plot

em scant courtes

ys treat a well-born maid as s

des w

ring the maid here,

ied grimly, "

ong as a horse," wheedled old Peter, "a

, but I saw the old man's pur

ed young Peter at lengt

g

lize the work these two Trevisas wanted me to do. Should I bring a maid, badly as she might be treated by the Killigrews (and I much doubted this portion of their narrative), a maid well born and beauteous, to be the wife of a crawling worm like young Peter Trevisa? But this did not trouble me mu

e I did not understand all the motives of the Trevisas in selecting me to do this work, but that did not matter. I doubted much if the maid would consent to marry young Peter, although I brought h

g

your mind?" asked

" I c

undertake

ondit

eld out his hand to me. "Let'

ed; "I must name m

y, Roger, lad? Don'

may take many weeks. I know not what will happen to me

lied young Peter; "there are a

it may suffice. The next condition I make is, that you d

all be

Hendy, my attorne

hy

be placed i

"I want no other person to know our plans. I

ould be quite powerless to claim my own, even if I did my work. I

at maid here to Treviscoe, it will mean that I am a dead man, for I swear that I will not give up while

, you may trust me,"

id, Nancy Molesworth, to Treviscoe, within two months, you give me back the Trevanion deeds, the paper I gave Prideaux, and a declaration th

ere a lawyer. But I did not yield, and so at length, doubtless believing they woul

atter will be settled," he said, as though he were th

; "there is yet a

g

d; "I have made n

replied with a laugh, for to see these

ant?" asked old Pet

you may conclude that I am dead. In that case I demand that certain sums of money be given to the servants wh

of the condition, not the

be killed? Is the expedition so dangerous? A little while ago

he. "In that case I should

is only in case of my death. I may lose my lif

I will not

may get some one el

, every jot and tittle will be mine, and you will hav

g

Endellion on my own account. Possib

you would not," pl

e sort. I said I would te

refused your lawyer to marry a woman with mo

a whining, yet savage way, just like a dog who i

th glee, for it was a pleasant thing to see thes

would mean much profit to them. Besides I believe that young Peter was really much in love with the maid Nancy Molesworth. So Lawyer Hendy was sent for, old

hey were signed by both Peter and his son, a

ey old Peter had offered m

g

r; you will not break your p

eak promises

ill you

rrow m

ess you

hile I do your work," I